The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Probe YSR-Naidu charges: Lok Satta

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Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Probe YSR-Naidu charges: Lok Satta

HYDERABAD: The Lok Satta Party has demanded immediate setting up of a special court to inquire into the assets of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu in the wake of trading of “serious charges” between the two leaders on the issue.

The party’s national coordinator Jayaprakash Narayan told a press conference here that the issue was not a private affair between Dr. Reddy and Mr. Naidu, as both were public servants under Section 2 (C) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988). All Ministers, MLAs, elected representatives, at the State and local level, come under the definition of ‘public servants’, he pointed out.

He wanted the special court to investigate allegations of corruption against public servants under Section 3 (1) of the Act. The section also enables the Government to appoint as many judges as necessary. Given these powers, the debate over whether the probe be handled by a sitting or retired judge is merely sidetracking the issue, Dr. Narayan added.

He said the investigation must be free from political pressures and wanted the Government to request the Chief Justice to appoint a special independent prosecutor with impeccable credentials. If the allegations were proved, assets of the leaders should be confiscated. He urged the Government to promulgate an ordinance for confiscating the assets of corrupt public servants.

Once the special court is constituted, the appointment of the judge is a judicial matter and the prerogative of the High Court and the Government should have no role in it, he said.

Dr. Narayan demanded special courts in all districts to look into “political corruption”.

NTR TDP’s stand

Meanwhile, NTR TDP president Lakshmi Parvathi on Tuesday demanded a special enquiry committee to go into charges of corruption levelled against each other by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and N. Chandrababu Naidu. In a statement, she wanted the stay order granted by the High Court on a corruption case against Mr. Naidu be vacated to ensure transparency.

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