Mohan Babu Denied Stay by Supreme Court in Election Code Violation Case
Prominent film actor Mohan Babu faced a setback in the Supreme Court on Wednesday in connection with a case related to the violation of the election code during the 2019 elections. The Supreme Court, under a bench led by Justice Bela Trivedi, heard the petition filed in this matter and dismissed Mohan Babu’s plea seeking a stay and exemption from personal appearance during the proceedings.
The case pertains to a protest organized in Tirupati under the auspices of educational institutions run by Mohan Babu, alleging delays in fee reimbursement payments during the 2019 election period. At that time, allegations were raised that the protest constituted a violation of the election code.
The Supreme Court issued clear instructions that Mohan Babu must appear personally before the designated inquiry officer tomorrow. The bench also rejected a request to issue notices to the state government at this stage. The court questioned Mohan Babu’s counsel, asking whether Mohan Babu was physically present at the protest when it occurred.
The advocate representing Mohan Babu argued that the actor is 75 years old and is actively managing an educational institution. He contended that the model code of conduct does not apply to private individuals. The protest organized by their institution over fee reimbursement dues, he stated, does not fall under the category of a code violation. However, the counsel also informed the court that the charge sheet included allegations of violating the model code.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench refused to grant a stay and directed Mohan Babu to appear before the inquiry officer. The court adjourned the next hearing for four weeks.