TDP leader acquitted in double murder case

Hyderabad, Nov 13 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh High Court today acquitted former minister and the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Ramasubba Reddy and seven others who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder of a Congress leader at Shadnagar in Mahaboob Nagar district in 1990.

A division bench of the court reversed the order of the Metropolitan sessions Judge here on December 22, 2004 .

The appeal referred by Subba Reddy and others against their conviction was heard by a Division Bench comprising Justice T Meena Kumari and Justice K C Bhanu, who differed on the acquittal.

Later, the appeal was reffered to a third judge, Justice Bilal Nazki. He heard the appeal again and found that the evidence available on record was inadequate to convict Mr Ramasubba Reddy.

He concurred with the view expressed by the judge, Justice T Meena Kumari.

Mr Reddy was elected from the Jammalamadugu Assembly constituency in 1994 and 1999. He was not a minister at the time of the double murder. He was the third accused in the FIR lodged by the police and was arrested and released on bail. Of the 11 accused in the case, eight were convicted.

UNI XR/AP VV MS RAI1852