Introduction:

A writ petition seeking directions to register a crime against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over an alleged fabricated Tweet regarding the closure of Osmania University hostels was dismissed by the Telangana High Court. The petitioners, students of the university, claimed the Tweet aimed to blame the previous government for water and electricity shortages. However, the bench, led by Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, heard and disposed of the matter at the admission stage.

Arguments of Both Sides:

Counsel for the petitioners, M Roopender, contended that an FIR should be registered based on the complaint, citing the Lalitha Kumari case. Conversely, counsel for the state, Tera Rajnikath Reddy, assisted by P. Vinayaka Krishna Vardhan, highlighted ongoing police investigation and argued against registering a counter-blast case. They emphasized that not every state action could be attributed to the Chief Minister, drawing an analogy to illustrate the lack of direct responsibility.

Court’s Judgement:

The bench, after considering arguments from both sides, dismissed the petition, noting the petitioners’ lack of locus. It left open the option for them to approach the appropriate authority, affirming ongoing police investigation into the alleged false notice. The bench underscored the principle that not every state action could be directly linked to the Chief Minister, emphasizing the need for discretion in attributing responsibility.