AP CS, DGP told to furnish list of lax Tahsildars, SIs

Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad has slammed the elected representatives who came before TVs to proclaim that they would conduct cockfighting and betting despite the Court orders. The court wanted to know the details of all such persons, including sarpanches and mandal-level representatives, so that appropriate action would be initiated by the court itself.

It also expressed displeasure at the administrative machinery buckling under the pressure of such leaders and allowing the illegal activity in places despite Section 144 Cr P C being in force and thus making a mockery of the Court orders. The division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice M S K Jaiswal made these observations on Monday in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar, who was summoned to be present in the court earlier.

The bench directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to furnish details of persons who organised the nearly 809 cockfights/betting activities in the two districts of West and East Godavari, including their addresses. It also wanted the list of Tahsildars and sub-inspectors who had failed to implement the orders of the court during the recent Sankranti festival.

Andhra Pradesh Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas informed the bench that 136 cockfights and bettings were organised in East Godavari and 673 in West Godavari, taking the total to 809. He sought time to submit to the court the details it sought relating to these 809 incidents. The bench adjourned the case to February 12 and dispensed with the presence of the Chief Secretary.