Hyderabad: Believe it or not, there is now a non-bailable warrant (NBW) pending against one of those entrusted with maintaining the country’s internal security.
The Special Judicial First-Class Magistrate (Spl JFCM) for excise cases in Hyderabad, also dealing with the cases against MLAs and MPs, issued the NBW against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar for not appearing before the court in connection with a case registered against him at Huzurabad, in the Karimnagar district of Telangana in 2021.
Kumar has been the MP from the Karimnagar Lok Sabha Constituency since 2019.
“Accused is absent. Issue NBW,” the magistrate ordered before posting the case to July 30 for further hearing. The case was registered against Kumar for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the byelection to the Huzurabad Assembly seat that falls within the Union minister’s Lok Sabha constituency.
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, Kumar’s counsel informed the court that he could not appear before the court in person due to the ongoing Parliament sessions. However, in view of multiple earlier opportunities given to him and his failure to abide by the court’s order, the magistrate took a serious view and issued the NBW.
The case was registered against Kumar in October 2021 under various sections of the IPC and the Representation of Peoples Act, after his alleged remarks against the opponent party. Kumar had alleged that leaders of the opponent party had been given funds to pay Rs 20,000 each to every person who voted in favour, but had distributed only Rs 5,000 per voter and pocketed the rest.
A complaint was registered against Kumar and the police filed a chargesheet in the matter in 2023, after which the case was transferred to the Spl JFCM.