Amaravati, Jan 10 In a setback to senior YSRCP leader Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday dismissed his petition to quash the case booked against him under POCSO Act.
In November last year, the Tirupati Police had booked a case against former Chandragiri MLA under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader was booked for reportedly resorting to the character assassination of a minor girl.
Bhaskar Reddy and some social media activists of YSRCP had allegedly circulated fake news that a minor girl was raped in Yerravaripalem mandal of Tirupati district in the first week of November.
The former MLA alleged that the 14-year-old girl was raped while she was returning home from school.
He had urged former Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to visit Chandragiri constituency to console the girl and her family.
The girl's father has filed a complaint against those who had spread malicious information about his daughter through such fake posts.
The girl was also made to undergo the required tests at the Government Maternity Hospital, which also confirmed that the rape charge was false.
Police had found circulation of fake news by YSRCP's social media handles and accounts on various platforms.
Taking a serious note of the "wild allegation", the police had warned those posting fake news and sharing unverified reports on social media platforms of "dire consequences".
Armed with the medical report, the police filed a case against the former MLA.
Bhaskar Reddy alleged that he was framed in a false case and termed it vindictive politics by the TDP-led ruling coalition.
He said to tarnish his reputation, cases were foisted against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and 11 Sections of SC, ST and IT Acts.
The YSRCP leader filed a petition in the High Court, seeking orders to quash the First Information Report registered against him by Tirupati Police. After hearing arguments from both sides, the High Court dismissed the petition.
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