AP Assembly Speaker murder: Maoist leader produced in court

Karimnagar(Tel): A top Maoist leader, accused in the murder case of former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Duddilla Sripada Rao in 1999, was today produced before a local court which extended his judicial remand till September 15. 

Maoist leader Akhilesh Jadhav was brought from Central Prison at Cherlapalli in Hyderabad and produced before Karimnagar Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Azahar Hussain amid tight security at around 12.30 PM.

Jadav, another top Maoist leader Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi and 31 others are accused in the murder of former AP Assembly Speaker Duddilla Sripada Rao in 1999.

Based on a confessional statement made by one of the accused - Malla Raji Reddy - on January 1, 2008 at Karimnagar, the rural police had registered a case of murder against Muppala Laxman Rao as well as 32 others, including Akhilesh Jadhav, Kobad Ghandy, Varanasi Subrahmanyam, Amit Bagchi and Jaspal Singh, who are held in various prisons.

Among those yet to be arrested are Muppala Laxman Rao, Akkiraju Haragopal and Cherukuri Rajkumar while another accused Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji was killed in a police encounter in West Bengal's Jangal Mahal region on November 24, 2011. Malla Raji Reddy, who made the confessional statement, was granted bail and has been absconding since then.

Another Maoist leader Pramod Mishra, also accused in the murder case, was released on bail earlier this year. Meanwhile, another accused Janthu Mukherjee, who was granted bail recently on a condition to appear before the Station House Officer, Karimnagar Rural, appealed in the court to relax the condition as he had to undergo treatment in Kerala for his ailments.

While modifying the condition, the court directed Janthu to appear before the said police station once in every three months. The court adjourned the hearing in the case to September 15.

PTI