Dinesh-Umesh duel attracts Andhra HC wrath

HYDERABAD: The High Court on Wednesday ordered the state government to appoint an IAS or IPS officer of unimpeachable integrity to enquire into the allegations being traded by DGP V Dinesh Reddy and senior IPS officer Umesh Kumar.Simultaneously, the court also ordered initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Dinesh Reddy and additional DGP of the Crime Investigation Department S V Ramana Murthy for suppression of material facts in affidavits filed by them.In addition, it quashed a lower court order granting a pardon to former journalist T Sunil Reddy, the accused no. 1 in a case pertaining to the forgery of a letter intended to defame Dinesh Reddy and thereby scuttle his chances of becoming the DGP.While Umesh Kumar had alleged that the DGP and his wife held disproportionate assets, Dinesh Reddy had complained to the chief secretary, levelling several allegations against the former, which included claiming a gallantry award on the basis of fake documents, selling bullet-proof jackets to naxalites and indulging in graft in the purchase of shoes and uniforms for police personnel.The court also quashed charges against petitioner Umesh Kumar under section 468 of the IPC. However, in relation to other charges against him under sections 471, 120B and 201 of the IPC, proceedings will continue. Pronouncing a judgement on three petitions filed by Umesh Kumar, judge Ramesh Ranganathan directed the government to ensure that the enquiry officer is senior in rank to both Dinesh Reddy and Umesh Kumar with no personal relations with either. The enquiry officer would have to be appointed within two weeks and the probe completed within four months thereafter.Judge Ranganathan remarked that the allegations and counter allegations by the two officers have not only tarnished their own images, but also that of the entire police force in the state. “As both claim to have a clean record and express pride in their integrity, they have nothing to fear if the allegations are inquired into,” he said.The judge said the false affidavit filed by Ramana Murthy and the suppression of material facts by he and Dinesh Reddy prima facie constitute criminal contempt of court. He directed the registrar-general of the court to initiate such proceedings against both of them.