Criminal contempt case against BJP’s Raghunandan over remarks on judges

Hyderabad: The Telangana high court on Thursday launched suo motu criminal contempt case against BJP's Medak MP M Raghunandan Rao and issued him notice asking him to explain his remarks against the judiciary over protection of lakes and action by Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao converted into suo motu criminal contempt case a letter received from their colleague judge, Justice T Vinod Kumar, who brought to the notice of the court the contents of the press conference held by the MP on Aug 24 – the day Tollywood actor Akkineni Nagarjuna's N-Convention function hall was demolished by HYDRAA.
The judge, in his letter to the CJ, said that after hearing the house motion moved by the actor against HYDRAA and N-Convention demolition, he had ordered a status quo and sought counters from authorities. But the MP wrongly interpreted the status quo as a stay order, Justice Vinod said.
"The MP has in fact been holding several such media conferences and expressing his views that are critical towards the courts. In one of the press conferences, the MP advised judges to remove the blindfold around their eyes and see the realities around them," the judge said.
The judge said the contemnor MP harbours a deep-seated loathing towards the judiciary and he intends to publicise his sentiments by making statements which scandalise the courts in the eyes of the society.