Hyderabad, July 19: Fire broke out in the Nampally Criminal Court Complex on Saturday and was immediately put out by the police and court staff.
None was injured in the mishap that occurred in the power house room on the ground floor of the complex opposite the lift. No loss of property occurred. Shortcircuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire. According to reports, alerted by dense smoke billowing from the room the policemen guarding the complex and the court staff informed the fire service personnel. But before the fire tenders arrived they themselves rushed into the room and put out the flames using fire extinguishers.
Two HC benches hear a case simultaneously!
In an unprecedented occurrence in the history of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, two benches heard a criminal case simultaneously! While one bench upheld the lower court’s conviction, the other acquitted the accused. By the time the blunder was noticed, the accused, taking advantage of the acquittal, came out of the jail and escaped. Following the High Court’s fresh orders, the accused was arrested in Karimnagar district and sent to Chanchalguda jail.
According to the prosecution, Abdul Raheem lodged a complaint in the Bhainsa police station in Adilabad district on April 13, 2003, alleging that his son-in-law Hymad Pasha killed his daughter Rayeesa Begum as she did not fulfil his demand for more dowry. The trial court in Adilabad held Hymad guilty of murder charge in 2006 and sentenced him to life imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs 1,000.
It imposed another three years imprisonment plus Rs 500 fine for dowry harassment.
He was sent to jail.
The relatives of Hymad got a criminal appeal filed in 2006 in the high court.
Around the same time, Hymad wrote a letter to the authorities of the high court seeking their help in engaging the services of an advocate for preferring an appeal.
The appeal by Hymad’s relatives went to a two-member division bench comprising Justice A Gopal Reddy and Justice B Seshasayana Reddy while Hymad’s own appeal went to another two-member bench comprising Justice DSR Verma and Justice KC Bhanu. The judgment on the appeal by relatives holding the accused guilty on both counts was delivered on March 7, 2008, while the verdict on Hymad’s appeal acquitting him on the charge of murder was given on September 29, 2008.
Hymad was set free from Cherlapally jail on Oct 1 this year.
–Agencies–