As expected, the Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday ordered a comprehensive probe by CBI into the alleged derogatory comments made by several social media activists and also some YSRCP leaders against judiciary in the state.
A division bench of the high court comprising Justice Rakesh Kumar and Justice J Uma Devi, which concluded the hearings on October 8 and reserved its judgement, announced on Monday that the case would be handed over to the CBI for an impartial inquiry.
The court observed that the Crime Investigation Department (CID) had failed to take action against those who made abusive comments against the judiciary and also ensure that the postings on the social media are deleted.
The court asked the CBI to take up the investigation, initiate the proceedings against the accused and submit the report to the high court within eight weeks. It asked the state government to extend all cooperation to the CBI in investigating the case.
The high court was hearing the arguments based on a petition filed by high court’s registrar general stating that the CID had not taken any steps on complaints over derogatory posts against judges on social media platforms.
The court also wanted what action the CID had taken against several leaders, including assembly speaker Tammineni Sitharam, deputy chief minister Narayana Swamy, MPs Vijayasai Reddy and N Suresh and former MLA Amanchi Krishnamohan and others who commented against judiciary.
It also observed that the CID was booking cases against people who criticise the government in social media but, while not acting on the specific complaint by the HC.