Date:12/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/12/stories/2008021255431000.htm

National

Anticipatory bail for Ramoji Rao

Legal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Justice P. Swaroop Reddy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday granted conditional anticipatory bail to Ch. Ramoji Rao and his son Kiran in a criminal case filed at Visakhapatnam.

The judge was dealing with a petition filed by Mr. Rao and another person. The petitioners stated that the complaint filed against them was frivolous and vexatious and there was a threat of arrest on flimsy grounds.

N.E.K.K. Varma had filed a case against the media baron contending that the land at Seetammadhara Visakhapatnam belonged to him and it had been leased out to Eenadu. This was shown as the one owned by Mr. Rao and surrendered for road-widening and alternative land obtained.

Justice Reddy was not inclined to go into the merits of the case and felt that this was a case for anticipatory bail. He directed Mr. Rao to be present before the Three Town police station, Visakhapatnam, within 10 days and execute the bonds and securities to be released on bail by the police.

Arguments in another petition filed by Mr. Rao seeking a direction to quash this complaint are complete and Justice Seethapathy’s final judgment is awaited.