Cases filed against Malla Reddy, I-T official

Hyderabad: Cases were registered on Thursday by police here against Telangana Minister for Labour and Employment Ch Malla Reddy for allegedly obstructing duties of Income Tax officials during the searches carried out by them and also against an I-T official following a complaint by the Minister's son, police said.

Based on the complaints, 'zero FIR' was registered (pertaining to both the cases) at Bowenpally police station and in view of jurisdiction, the FIR will be transferred to Dundigal police station for further investigations, they said. An I-T official in a complaint alleged that Malla Reddy and his kin obstructed their duties and that he was detained and his belongings were taken away by them. Accordingly, a case was registered against the Minister, police said.

Similarly, the Minister's younger son, also filed a complaint with the police stating that his elder brother was forced to sign on some documents by the I-T official, a senior police official said. Following the complaint and counter-complaint, the cases were registered as 'zero FIR,' the official said.

Malla Reddy on Wednesday had accused CRPF personnel, who accompanied the Income Tax department officials during the searches carried out at his residence and educational institutions here, of 'beating up' his son. The I-T sleuths, who carried out searches on Tuesday and Wednesday, were verifying tax records of Reddy and the educational institutiothe development said. Raids were also carried out at the educational institutions. A Zero FIR can be filed in any police station regardless of whether the offence was committed under the jurisdiction of that particular police station.