Two supplementary FIRs filed by CBI against Sekhar Reddy quashed

Justice S Bhasakaran who quashed the supplementary FIRs, said, “In the present case on hand, the source of information is one and the same. The accused are also same persons. It is also apparent that the offence alleged in the first FIR and offences covered in the subsequent FIRs are connected and arising out of the same transaction and as such registering of subsequent FIRs is not proper.”

“Thus, the claim of the petitioners that lodging of two subsequent FIRs in connection with the same and connected offences as mentioned in first FIR in Crime No RC MA1 2016 A0040 is not permissible as Section 154 of CrPC do not permit the registration of subsequent FIRs for the same offence or connected offence,” the judge held.

However, the judge granted the CBI liberty to treat the allegations made in them as supplementary allegations or to merge the same to the first FIR.

The petitioner had contended that the CBI without proceeding with the investigation in the first FIR dated 19.12.2016 registered the two subsequent FIR alleging commission of identical offences arising from same facts and circumstances under one single transaction.

Special Public Prosecutor for CBI Cases contended that Sekhar Reddy, the first accused was actively involved in converting unaccounted cash held by him and his partners, into Gold bars causing the need for the subsequent two FIRs.