Drone Politics & Verbal Duels: Telangana HC Clears Revanth Reddy & KTR

The Telangana High Court has dismissed a case against Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for flying a drone without permission in 2020. The case was filed when Revanth Reddy, then an MP from Malkajgiri, used a drone to capture visuals of a farmhouse in Janwada near Hyderabad. The farmhouse was reportedly linked to KTR, who was then a state minister and crucial in the government.

Revanth Reddy claimed that KTR built the farmhouse illegally. To prove this allegation, Revanth had hired a drone to take aerial footage as evidence. Following this, the Cyberabad Police registered a case against him on March 4, 2020, under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including unauthorized drone usage and criminal conspiracy. He was arrested and spent 20 days in jail before being granted bail.

Revanth Reddy later appealed to the High Court, arguing that the charges against him were baseless since Janwada was not a restricted area. His lawyer, S Niranjan Reddy, stated that the accusations did not match the legal sections cited in the case. After reviewing the arguments, the High Court dismissed the case.

Case Against KTR Dismissed

In another ruling, the High Court also dismissed a case against KTR for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Revanth Reddy. In August 2023, a complaint was filed by Rajya Sabha MP Mandadi Anil Kumar Yadav, leading to an FIR by the Saifabad Police in Hyderabad.

During the hearing, the Public Prosecutor stated that KTR, a senior leader, had used inappropriate language against the Chief Minister. However, KTR’s lawyer, TV Ramanarao, argued that the case was politically motivated. After hearing both sides, the High Court quashed the FIR, bringing an end to the case.