AGENCY
NEW DELHI, Jan 8
The Telangana High Court on Wednesday permitted the counsel of BRS working president K T Rama Rao to accompany him to the ACB headquarters but not inside the interrogation room. However, the former minister would be visible to his counsel sitting in the library through a glass window.
Meanwhile, special chief secretary Arvind Kumar appeared before the ACB today HMDA chief engineer BLN Reddy appeared before the Enforcement Directorate which is probing the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
On 7 January the BRS leader had gone to the ACB headquarters at Banjara Hills but returned after submitting a letter since his counsel was not allowed inside. After his petition to get the FIR quashed was dismissed by the High Court yesterday, he again filed a lunch motion petition today seeking his counsel’s presence during his interrogation by the ACB. He is slated to appear before the ACB tomorrow.
While Rao petitioned the court to allow the presence of a lawyer during the interrogation citing a Supreme Court judgment the state government cited another order by the High Court to contend that the presence of a lawyer was not required. Justice K Lakshman said the petitioner and the investigating officer should be in one room and the advocate will sit in another room but the petitioner should be visible.
The investigating officer will ensure that Rao will be visible to his counsel.
However, he turned down the request for the audio and video recording of KT Rama Rao’s interrogation. He, however, asked the petitioner to appear before the investigating officer but added that in case of any doubt, he could come back. In the meantime, the writ petition would be kept pending. Special chief secretary Arvind Kumar who was the Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary also appeared before the ACB today. He was designated accused number two since he had played a key role in paying UK-based FEO with funds from HMDA. HMDA chief engineer BLN Reddy who is accused number three appeared before the ED today. Rao too will have to appear before ED.
