In a significant development, a special court in Hyderabad has issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Telangana Minister for Forests, Environment, and Endowments Konda Surekha. The warrant was issued after she failed to appear for the commencement of the trial in the defamation case pending before the Special Court for Public Representatives.
The case was listed for the trial’s opening examination on Thursday. However, despite being served notice, Surekha did not attend the hearing. The magistrate noted that she neither appeared in person nor filed a petition explaining her inability to attend or seek exemption from personal appearance.
Observing that the minister had been absent from earlier proceedings as well, the court said her conduct amounted to “blatant non-cooperation” with the judicial process. The repeated failure to attend despite multiple adjournments compelled the court to issue the NBW to ensure her presence.
A Non-Bailable Warrant is a coercive legal instrument directing the police to take the accused into custody and produce them before the court. Unlike a bailable warrant, an NBW does not grant the accused the right to secure immediate release. Courts typically issue NBWs only when the accused repeatedly avoids appearance despite due notice.
The defamation case was filed by the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao, following derogatory remarks made by Surekha during a heated political exchange in October last year. KTR filed the criminal complaint alleging that the minister had made false, derogatory, and reputation-damaging statements against him during press briefings and political meetings.
He approached the Special Court — designated for cases involving MPs and MLAs — seeking prosecution under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including sections pertaining to criminal defamation.
After examining the complaint and supporting material, the court took cognisance of the case earlier this year and issued a summons to the minister. However, progress has been slow due to her repeated absence, leading the court to issue an NBW.
The case filed by KTR has become a flashpoint in the ongoing rivalry between the two leaders, and Thursday’s NBW order is likely to trigger renewed political debate.
After issuing the NBW, the court adjourned the matter to 5 February 2026, directing that further trial will proceed only after the minister is produced before the bench.
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