SC raps Andhra for branding lawyer a Maoist

NEW DELHI: Advocate R Chandrashekar Reddy was branded a Maoist sympathiser and ordered to be put under surveillance by the Andhra Pradesh police soon after he moved the Supreme Court challenging the state's decision to release 1,500-odd prisoners much before they served their sentence.

Seeking the state's response to the allegations, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said: "Somebody files a PIL, the court issues interim order and the very next day you brand him a Maoist sympathiser and put him under surveillance?" the court asked state's counsel T R Andhyarujina.

The state denied this and said police protection had already been given to the PIL petitioner. However, the court issued notice to the state and asked it to file its affidavit responding to the charges levelled by Reddy.