Former TDP minister sentenced for double murder

Former TDP minister sentenced for double murder

Wednesday, December 22, 2004 (Hyderabad):

Ramasubba Reddy, who was a minister in the previous government in Andhra Pradesh, was today sentenced to life imprisonment in a double murder case.

A criminal court in Hyderabad found Reddy guilty for the murder of two Congress workers - Ch Shankar Reddy and Lakireddy Gopal Reddy - at the Shadnagar bus stand in Mahbubnagar district in December 1990.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Rajagopal Reddy awarded life imprisonment to Ramasubba Reddy and seven others in the double murder case.

Reddy was the housing minister in the Telugu Desam-government led by Chandrababu Naidu. He was elected to the Andhra Pradesh assembly Jammalmadugu in 1994 and 1999.

The case, which was first heard in Mahaboobnagar court was later transferred to Nampally court in Hyderabad on the plea of victims' families.

Reddy mulls appeal

After the judgement, tension prevailed outside the court premises where relatives and supporters of Reddy had assembled.

"I am innocent and I am in no way connected directly or indirectly in the murder," Reddy told reporters.

He said he would consider appealing to high court after consulting his lawyer and expressed hope that justice would be done.

The chargesheet was filed against 11 persons in the case and the court had examined 22 witnesses.

As the tension prevailed in Jammalmadugu, Reddy's hometown, the police promulgated prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC as a precautionary measure.

Four villages in the Kadappa district have been put under prohibitory orders.

news from ndtv.com

(With PTI inputs)