HC orders Shatrucharla to return complete salary

The High Court order has given a big jolt to former Congress Minister, Shatrucharla Vijayarama Raju. The HC has ordered the former minister to return all the emoluments including salary, perks and other monetary benefits which he received as MLA from the State government.

After a prolonged court battle, Vijayarama Raju lost in High Court and Supreme Court over a petition challenging his status as Schedule Tribe. Nimmaka Jaya Raju moved court challenging that Vijayarama Raju is a Kshatriya by birth, not ST caste. The petitioner requested the court to disqualify Shatrucharla contesting from a constituency reserved for ST. Raju was MLA from Naguru, which was a ST constituency in Srikakulam district during 1999-2004. After reorganization of Assembly constituencies in 2004, Naguru disappeared from the list.

Raju lost in recent elections in Patapatnam constituency in Srikakulam district to YSRCP candidate Ramana Murthy.Meanwhile, another petition was filed in the court questioning his eligibility to receive salary and other benefits as MLA, when Raju was not eligible to contest from a ST constituency. Considering this petition, the High Court has ruled that public representatives, who contest on false information, should return entire salary and other perks if proven guilty.