Court sentences him to six months imprisonment and fine of Rs.5,000
Hyderabad, February 19, 2008In a set back to former Minister and TDP deputy floor leader, Nagam Janardhana Reddy, the judicial first class Magistrate here has convinced him to undergo simple imprisonment for six months and also pay Rs.5,000 fine in a defamation case filed by his political rival and Minister for Rural Development G Chinna Reddy six year ago. However, the judge suspended the sentence for one month to enable the Telugu Desam Party leader prefers an appeal within 15 days in a higher court against the verdict.
The defamation case was filed by Chinna Reddy, Congress MLA from Wanaparthy after Janardhana Reddy was the then Panchayat Raj Minister during N Chandrababu tenure during the ZP meeting held on February 17, 2002 alleged that Chinna Reddy secured a fake doctorate from a non-existent university in Malaysia. He made the remarks after Chinna Reddy alleged that the TDP leader was involved in the Centrally sponsored Food for Work programme scandal in which rice meant for poor was diverted to black-market.
Chinna Reddy who was hurt by the allegations made in the presence of other elected representatives and officials filed a private petition in the court on April 2. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, Dr.YS Rajasekhara Reddy called up Chinna Reddy and congratulated him for winning the case. Chinna Reddy welcoming the court judgment told the media that he was anguished for the remarks against him as it lowered his prestige in the eyes of public. Meanwhile, Janardhana Reddy said that he would honour the court judgment and prefer to file in the higher court.
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