The Hindu : Blast case: ex-Minister acquitted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Blast case: ex-Minister acquitted

By Our Staff Reporter

SURYAPET, (NALGONDA DT.), FEB.24.The Suryapet Munsif court acquitted Ramreddy Damodar Reddy, former Minister and senior Congress leader, in a bomb blast case on Tuesday.

"Extending the benefit of doubt'' for the accused, the Assistant Sessions Judge, K. Ramesh, announced in the packed court that Ramreddy Damodar Reddy was acquitted of charges framed by the Tungaturthy police in July, 2002.

The defence lawyer, Rammanohar Rao, said that about 21 witnesses were examined in the case.

Hundreds of Congress activists, who thronged the town in the morning, waited till evening and celebrated the judgment.

They took out a huge rally from Suryapet to Tungaturthy from where Mr. Reddy intends to fight in the coming elections.

It may be recalled that the police booked a case against Mr. Reddy under section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and Sections 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt) and 325 (Causing a grievous hurt) of Indian Penal Code following the bomb explosion in his own house in Tungaturthy on July 7, 2002.

Supporter dies: According to the information reaching here, the District Congress Committee vice-president and staunch supporter of Mr. Damodar Reddy, Tota Ramulu (42), died of heart attack during the pujas at Arvapally.

He hailied from Gummadivally in Tungaturthy mandal.

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