Non-bailable warrant issued against Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury in cheating case

The Congress leader allegedly took Rs 1.1 crore from a ticket aspirant ahead of the 2014 Assembly Election but did not return the money after failing to secure a seat for him.

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A court in Telangana on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury. The Second Additional First-Class Judicial Magistrate's court in Khammam district issued the warrant as she had not been attending the court proceedings in connection with a four-year-old cheating case against her.

A case was registered against her in 2015 based on a complaint from a woman named B Kalavathi, who alleged Renuka took Rs 1.10 crore from her husband Bhukya Rana Chandra Naik on the promise to get him a party ticket to contest from Wyra Assembly seat in Khammam district in the 2014 elections. However, the complainant alleged that the Congress leader did not return the money after failing to get him the ticket.

“Renuka Chowdhury promised us that she would ensure that the MLA ticket on behalf of the Congress party for Vyra assembly constituency would be given to my husband Ramji Naik, but it did not happen. She took money from my husband and did not return it. He went into a state of depression and died. She is responsible for his death,” alleged Kalavathi in her written complaint to the court.

Kalavathi said the former Minister did not return the money either. Her lawyer told the court that despite several notices being sent to her residence the former minister refused to accept the notices.

When Kalavathi sought the money back, Renuka’s followers allegedly manhandled her, and used caste slurs against her.

As the Congress leader was not attending the court proceedings and had even allegedly refused to receive the summons, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against her. Renuka’s lawyer said she failed to appear as the summons notices were being sent to the wrong address. Speaking to the media, her lawyer expressed hope of recalling the warrant, reported Times of India.

(With IANS inputs)