Telangana High Court on Monday closed a contempt of court matter taken up against former Siddipet District Collector Venkatram Reddy, who is presently MLC.
The contempt of court case was taken up suo moto against Mr. Reddy after a single judge of the HC referred the comments made by him in November last year over the High Courts and Supreme Court. Mr. Reddy was Siddipet Collector then.
During an open meeting with fertilizer shop owners and seed-selling agents, Mr. Reddy warned them against selling paddy seed to farmers as the State government decided not to encourage paddy cultivation. He stated that he would cancel licences of agents who sell paddy seed to agriculturists and “would not revoke them even if they get orders from the High Court or Supreme Court.”
A single judge hearing a writ petition on the matter took a serious view of the Collector’s comments. Observing that the statements made by Mr. Reddy would attract contempt of court, the single judge referred it to a division bench headed by the Chief Justice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Reddy resigned from government service. Chief Minister and TRS party supremo K. Chandrasekhara Rao fielded him as one of the five party candidates for MLC post - all of who got elected. Subsequently, Advocate General B.S. Prasad told the bench hearing the contempt petition that Mr. Reddy was ready to tender apology unconditionally.
Mr. Reddy, who got elected as MLC, submitted a written apology to the HC regretting his remarks.
The bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, after hearing the submissions made by the AG and accepting the MLC’s apology, closed the contempt petition on Monday.
