Senior YSR Congress party leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister Ambati Rambabu on Thursday approached the state high court seeking to quash criminal cases registered against him.
Rambabu filed a lunch motion petition, requesting urgent hearing and relief. After considering the plea, the high court agreed to hear the petition.
In his submission, the former minister alleged that the cases were filed as part of political vendetta, invoking penal provisions that carry punishment of up to seven years’ imprisonment.
He informed the court that a lower court had already ordered his remand in these cases, and urged the high court to intervene. Arguing on his behalf, counsel contended that the cases were illegal and abuse of process, and sought quashing of all proceedings to grant immediate relief to the petitioner.
The high court directed the respondents to file a detailed counter affidavit and adjourned the matter to February 11 for further hearing.
Meanwhile, Rambabu’s third daughter, Sreeja, strongly reacted to her father’s arrest by releasing a video message from the United States. She alleged that the attack on their residence and her father’s arrest were carried out at the behest of Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, claiming the entire episode occurred under his direction.
Sreeja stated that three days prior to the arrest, there was a serious altercation near their house. She alleged that while her father was returning home after visiting a temple, some Telugu Desam Party (TDP) workers threatened him with physical assault and stones, and that a woman used abusive language against him.
She further said that her father later expressed regret over certain remarks, admitting that as a public leader he should not have spoken in that manner, and that he was prepared to face legal consequences.
“Despite this, the TDP leaders were not satisfied and pursued what she termed a separate agenda. According to her, this led to an attack on their house around 10 pm,” she alleged.