Seethakka sends legal notice to KCR

Telangana’s Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka has sent a legal notice to former Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President K. Chandrasekhar Rao over the allegations made on the party’s social media accounts against her in connection with mobile phone procurement for Anganwadis.

The minister has demanded that K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) take responsibility for BRS social media posts, delete them and issue an apology within 48 hours. The notice says that if he fails to do so, civil and criminal action will be initiated against him.

The legal notice stated that as the president of BRS, KCR is responsible for all its actions, including social media posts, press releases, advertisements, etc.

The minister’s lawyer said she was shocked to find a social media post on April 10 in which it was alleged that Seethakka did not leave even the phones given to Anganwadi workers. According to the post, the cost of the phone given to Anganwadi is only Rs 8,499, but Seethakka showed the cost as Rs 14,499 and committed corruption of Rs 30 crore.

The notice gave details of the social media handles of the party leaders and their supporters on which the post was made. It is alleged that KCR has been carrying on a systematic campaign to defame the minister.

Seethakka has made it clear that she has nothing to do with the procurement of smart mobile phones. According to the notice, it’s Telangana Technology Services Limited which invited bids and awarded the contract. “My client is not a member of the Tender Evaluation Committee. Therefore, she has no role to play in awarding the contract,” reads the notice.

Pointing out that the tender itself was for Rs 44 crore, it termed the allegation of corruption to the tune of Rs 30 crore as false and absurd.

Seethakka called the allegations inherently defamatory in nature and said they constitute defamation per se.

She demanded KCR delete the social media posts on ‘Facebook’ and ‘X’ and also publish an apology on the same platforms and also through the Telugu daily ‘Namasthe Telangana’, failing which she will be constrained to initiate appropriate legal action (both civil and criminal).