YSR Congress party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy from Macherla assembly constituency in Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh, who has been facing a series of cases in connection with the post-poll violence in his constituency, sought judicial intervention in transferring police officials investigating the cases filed against him.
Pinnelli, who hit the national headlines by smashing the electronic voting machine and VVPAT machine in one of the polling booths in his constituency on the polling day of May 13, has got the reprieve from the high court which ruled that he should not be arrested till June 5.
The high court granted him anticipatory bail in three more cases filed against him by the Palnadu police and he was asked to stay put in Narsaraopet till the day of counting of votes on June 4. The cops also imposed several restrictions on his movements.
Obviously irritated with these restrictions, Pinnelli moved the high court on Thursday, requesting that the investigating officers probing the cases against him be transferred and replaced by other cops.
The high court admitted a lunch motion petition filed by him and directed the Election Commission of India to file a counter affidavit by Friday.
Pinnelli alleged that the investigating officers were targeting him and restricting his movements deliberately. This was affecting his fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, he said.
The YSRCP legislator also demanded transfer of Guntur range Inspector General of Police Sarvasreshtha Tripathi, alleging that he was favouring the Telugu Desam Party and targeting him personally.