In Brief
A Telugu actor (Manchu Mohan Babu) and his son were prosecuted for conducting a rally and dharna raising slogans against the Andhra Pradesh government over student fee reimbursements during election season. They were charged under criminal law provisions covering public nuisance, wrongful restraint, and electoral fraud. The Supreme Court quashed the proceedings, holding that the essential ingredients of the alleged offences were not established. The Court found the appellants were peacefully exercising their fundamental rights to free speech and assembly. Continuing the prosecution would serve no useful purpose and amounted to abuse of the criminal process.
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