Andhra Pradesh High Court has ordered for filing of a criminal case against a senior IAS officer, Pravin Kumar. Kumar is considered to be the closest man to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
A two-judge bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar and Justice D. Ramesh were delivering their judgment on a recusal petition filed by Jaganmohan Reddy govt against Justice Rakesh Kumar.
The court asserted that IAS officer Pravin Kumar, Mission Director, Mission Build Andhra Pradesh, had failed to prove the charges he made against the judge in his affidavit. The officer had sought the stepping down of Justice Rakesh Kumar claiming that he had made biased statements against the government. When the court insisted on proof of the judge’s comments, Praveen Kumar’s lawyer could not submit the paper cuttings or TV news clippings.
The High Court ordered its registrar to file a case in the police station against Praveen Kumar. The court asked the IAS officer to respond within 6 weeks as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.