VIJAYAWADA: The high court on Tuesday said it will constitute a special investigation team (SIT) if the CBI does not show any progress in apprehending ‘Punch Prabhakar’, who has been posting abusive, contemptuous and derogatory videos against the judiciary.
The HC bench headed by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Lalitha Kanneganti granted 10 days time to the CBI to prove its bonafides in the case, failing which they will either refer the matter to Supreme Court or constitute a SIT independent of the CBI.
Expressing displeasure over social media intermediaries for not taking action in appropriate time, the bench asked them if it’s not their responsibility to remove abusive content immediately after investigating agencies registered a crime and reported the same to the companies to take down the content. The observation came after N Ashwani Kumar, the standing counsel for high court’s registrar general, told the bench that social media intermediaries removed abusive content posted by Prabhakar only after the registrar general’s letter.
P Subash, the counsel for CBI, told the court that a red corner notice has been issued against Prabhakar and the investigation agency has been trying to arrest him by coordinating with diplomatic channels and Interpol.
Subash and the investigating officer requested for more time to coordinate with international agencies.
Considering their request, the court granted 10 days to show progress in the case.
P Subash, the counsel for CBI, told the court that a red corner notice has been issued against Prabhakar and the investigation agency has been trying to arrest him by coordinating with diplomatic channels and Interpol. Subash and the investigating officer requested for more time to coordinate with various agencies
