Hyderabad, January 27: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Mekala Thirupathanna, the suspended Additional Superintendent of Police from the Special Intelligence Branch, who is implicated as Accused No. 4 in the high-profile phone tapping case in Telangana. This marks the first regular bail granted in this case.
Previously, Thirupathanna’s bail plea was rejected by the High Court, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court. On Monday, a bench led by Justice B.V. Nagarathna approved his bail with specific conditions. The bench noted that the petitioner has been in custody for ten months and that a charge sheet has already been filed. Therefore, the court opined that continued detention was unnecessary.
The court emphasized that Thirupathanna must fully cooperate with the trial proceedings and avoid any attempts to delay the process. It warned that any efforts to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence would allow the state government to seek cancellation of his bail. Additionally, the court mentioned that conditions such as the surrender of his passport would be determined by the trial court.
Representing the state, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra argued that Thirupathanna is the primary accused in the phone tapping case. On behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Siddharth Dave appeared during the hearing.
This development has garnered significant attention, considering the case’s prominence in Telangana’s recent legal landscape. Observers are keen to see how the trial progresses following this decision.
