Ravinder Reddy, the judge who has quit hours after pronouncing the Mecca Masjid blast case verdict, has expressed keenness to join the BJP, describing it as a ‘patriotic party’ and the one which does not have ‘family rule’.
As per the several media reports, Reddy was asked to keep his programme of joining the BJP on hold, but that no reason was cited. “Former Union Minister and Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya felicitated me and invited me to join the party. I also expressed my interest to join as I believe it is a party which has national interest. It is the only national level patriotic party and does not have any family-rule” said the former judge.
As reported by News18, Reddy had met BJP President Amit Shah when he was in the city recently. “Along with me, all my well-wishers, family friends and advocates came here (party office) to witness my joining the party. But I received a message asking me to keep the programme on hold without any reason being assigned,” Reddy said.
The then Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Reddy had put in his papers citing personal reasons, after pronouncing the judgement in the Mecca Masjid blast case on April 16 this year.
A massive bomb blast had rocked the historic 17th century Mecca Masjid located near Charminar on May 18, 2007. At least nine people were killed in the attack and 58 were left injured. In 2009, the case was handed over to the CBI, who gave it a new twist by probing the activities of right-wing sympathisers. Five right-wing activists were accused in the case – Swami Aseemanand, Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma (also accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts), Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary – who were acquitted by the Reddy.
