Framing of charges would get hit: Court while denying Varavara plea to travel to Hyderabad

A SPECIAL court, in its detailed order rejecting the application of Telugu poet and Elgaar Parishad accused Varavara Rao to travel and stay in his hometown Hyderabad, has said that if he is allowed to go, the framing of charges in the case would get prolonged. The court had last week rejected Rao’s plea seeking permission to travel and stay in his hometown for three months to undergo cataract surgery.

The Supreme Court had last month directed the special court to decide within three months on the framing of charges and discharge applications of the accused. “If the applicant is permitted to go and stay at Hyderabad for three months, the framing of charge would get prolonged. In such a situation, it would not be appropriate to allow the application,” the court said. On Rao’s submission that he would find free-of-cost treatment in Hyderabad as he is a pensioner of Telangana government, the court said that it is not the case of the applicant that he would not get good treatment in Mumbai.

Rao was granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 17, allowing an appeal against an order of the Bombay High Court rejecting his plea to make permanent his interim medical bail.