The Supreme Court on Friday stayed an Andhra Pradesh district court’s order restraining state Congress chief YS Sharmila and others from making comments against the YSR Congress Party and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in connection with the murder of their uncle, MP YS Vivekananda Reddy, reported Live Law.
YS Vivekananda Reddy was found dead at his home in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019.
The Supreme Court’s Friday order came on Sharmila’s plea challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s refusal to interfere with the Kadapa district court’s April 16 gag order.
The top court stayed the order on grounds that the injunction had been passed without hearing Sharmila, thereby restricting her freedom of speech and expression.
Senior Advocate Gaurav Aggarwal, representing Sharmila, cited a recent Supreme Court judgement advising trial court judges not to routinely issue injunctions that restrain freedom of speech and expression.
Aggarwal also said that the Kadapa court’s injunction had the effect of curbing Sharmila’s political speeches amid the elections, seeing as it was broadly worded to prevent his client from making derogatory and defamatory remarks against the chief minister and his party.
Aggarwal added that some of the respondents in the petition were also accused in the alleged murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy.
YS Vivekananda Reddy was the younger brother of late former Andra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. He had served as a Cabinet minister and represented the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Suneetha Narreddy, the daughter of YS Vivekananda Reddy, has publicly supported Sharmila’s comments and accused Jagan Mohan Reddy of shielding those who have been accused of killing her father.
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