The Supreme Court has granted significant relief to YSRCP MP Mithun Reddy in connection with the Andhra Pradesh liquor policy case. It set aside the earlier order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had rejected his anticipatory bail plea.
The Supreme Court directed the High Court to conduct a fresh hearing on Mithun Reddy’s anticipatory bail petition within four weeks. Until then, the top court has clearly instructed that Mithun Reddy should not be arrested.
The Supreme Court observed that the High Court had failed to properly examine the evidence presented in the case during its earlier hearing. It noted that the High Court must re-evaluate the investigation details collected so far, including the material gathered by the Investigating Officer.
The court pointed out that there was no credible information available linking the petitioner directly to the alleged crime at this stage. It also emphasized that arrests must be based on reasonable and justified grounds.
The bench further remarked that mechanical arrests—where the police arrest someone immediately after registering a case without proper assessment—are not acceptable. It stated that the idea of arresting someone just because a case has been filed is flawed.
The Supreme Court underlined that the reputation and dignity of a sitting Member of Parliament should also be taken into consideration in such cases. It directed the High Court to review the petition again in a fair and reasoned manner and submit the appropriate affidavit.
