The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Three more turn hostile in Balakrishna case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Three more turn hostile in Balakrishna case

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 20. Three of the four witnesses in the shoot-out case at cine star Balakrishna's residence, who were examined before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge, B. Rajagopal Reddy, at Nampally Criminal Courts on Monday, turned hostile.

The cine actor along with his wife Vasundhara Devi and car driver Kankaiah were present in the court.

During the cross-examination, the partner of Ghouse Arms and Ammunition Factory at Mozamjahi Market, Mohammed Iftekhar Ahmed, said that he sold 60 cartridges on June 3 after the arms licences of Balakrishna and Vasundhara Devi were produced. He, however, stated that he did not remember the person who purchased the cartridges.

Another witness, Kotapalli Purushottam Chowdary, friend of producer Bellamkonda Suresh, stated that he accompanied the producer to Balakrishna's residence but was sitting outside the house in his car.

Suddenly Suresh came out running and asked him to get him admitted to Apollo Hospital, he stated. After informing his relatives he left, he said.

A tea-stall owner at Jubilee Hills, V. David, and a mechanic at Journalist Colony, A. Ramu, who were cited as panch witnesses in the charge-sheet, stated that their signatures were obtained by the Jubilee Hills police in some documents without showing them the contents.

They further stated that they never visited the actor's house nor was the panchnama drafted in their presence.

The witnesses -- Sharat Talluri and Gopichand Mannan, doctors of Care Hospital, L. Veera Raju, an executive producer working for Bellamkonda Suresh and three others -- are scheduled to be examined on Tuesday.

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