Jethwani Case: AP High Court Tears Into Police, Grants Bail to Ex-Intel Chief Anjaneyulu
Justice Rao says only courts can decide on innocence or guilt
"Filing counter cases against police officers will set dangerous precedent"
"This Isn’t the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination": HC Slams Police Over Witness Count
In a relief to former intelligence chief PSR Anjaneyulu, the Andhra Pradesh High Court granted him bail in the case related to the alleged harassment of Bollywood actress Kadambari Jethwani.
While issuing the orders, the High Court made very strong observations. When it was alleged that a false case had been booked against Jethwani under the previous YSRCP government, the court emphasized that the role of the police is to file a chargesheet and conduct an investigation.
Hearing the case, Justice Yadavalli Lakshmana Rao remarked, “The job of the police is to file a chargesheet and investigate crimes. It is the court that decides whether a particular case is false or not. Let us determine who is innocent and who is not.”
The actress accused Anjaneyulu and a few other IPS officers of wrongfully arresting her and mentally harassing her and her family. She alleged that businessman Kukkala Vidyasagar had accused her of defrauding him, following which she was allegedly illegally detained.
The court criticized the police for filing cases against officers who had lodged complaints against an accused. “A dangerous precedent is being set. Tomorrow, every accused will start filing cases against police officers, alleging they were falsely booked. The consequences will be unimaginable,” it observed.
The court further remarked that the duty of the police is to ascertain facts, not to file cases against individuals to satisfy someone.
Appearing for the IPS officer, senior advocate S. Nagesh Reddy informed the judge that as many as 60 witnesses had been examined in the case.
To this, the court asked, “Is this the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case that hundreds of witnesses are being investigated?”
Reddy pointed out that the court had already granted bail to other IPS officers, including former Vijayawada Commissioner of Police Kanthi Rana Tata and Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gunni.
State Public Prosecutor (PP) Menda Lakshminarayana Rao emphasized that several police officers had visited Jethwani’s residence in Mumbai on Anjaneyulu’s orders, even before a case was formally booked against her. He urged the court to consider the witnesses’ statements, arguing that Anjaneyulu might attempt to influence them if granted bail.
In response, the court stated that strict conditions would be imposed on the IPS officer to ensure a fair trial.
