Telangana HC suspended LOC issued against Bodhan former MLA Shakil

The Telangana High Court on Friday suspended the lookout notice (LoC) issued against BRS former Bodhan MLA Shakeel Ahmed in connection with his son’s hit-and-run case registered with the Panjagutta police. Issuing the order, Justice K. Lakshman directed the Panjagutta police not to arrest Ahmed, and directed him to appear before the Panjagutta police before February 23 and aid in the investigation. The court asked how the police could issued the LOC against the petitioner.

The police had registered an FIR against Mohammed Amer Raheel, Ahmed’s son, who in an inebriated condition hit a barricade opposite Praja Bhavan while driving a high-end car on December 24. Based on the confession statements, the police arrayed Ahmed as an accused on the charges of cheating by impersonation and culpable homicide and issued the LOC. Challenging this, Ahmed and two others on Friday moved a lunch motion petition seeking to quash the LOC. 

Justice Lakshman, while adjudicating the criminal petition, asked the public prosecutor



why the police investigation was moving at such speed.

“Does the police investigate such cases at the same speed at which they are investigating this case, if a common man is involved,” the judge asked while recalling news reports of the arrest of a suspended inspector of the Panjagutta police. Justice Lakshman observed that as per the Supreme Court guidelines, for any offence which attracts punishment of less than seven years the police should issue notice under Section 41A of CrPC and follow due procedure. “Why are the police arresting the accused when the offences in the FIR are bailable,” the judge asked. 

Vivekananda, counsel for the petitioner, said that all the accused had filed quash petitions before the High Court which while hearing the petitioners had directed the police to follow due procedure. The police ignored the directions and arrested an accused, Syed Zakria Rahman, at the airport. He was later released on bail by a local court.