NIA court defers knife attack case hearing to July 4

Vijayawada: The special court for NIA cases in Visakhapatnam heard the case related to the knife attack on opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday. The court later adjourned the case for next hearing to July 4. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s counsel filed a memo in the court stating that the AP High Court had issued a stay order not to take up further proceedings in the case. Accused J. Srinivasa Rao’s counsel Abdus Saleem argued that the High Court had issued the stay order in December last year only for a period of six weeks. Six months have passed since then.

Referring to the



opposition leader’s counsel filing a plea under section 482 of CrPC in the High Court seeking a detailed inquiry into the case, the accused’s lawyer argued that the case should be heard by a two-judge division bench in the High Court as per provision 21(4) of NIA Act. He further argued that the single judge bench of the High Court had issued a stay order against the norms of the NIA. Accused in the case Srinivasa Rao was present in the court. After hearing both the parties, the special court judge U.U. Prasad adjourned the case for next hearing to July 4.