Overview

• N. Ramchander Rao has issued a defamation notice to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka demanding an unconditional apology for false claims linking him to Rohith Vemula’s suicide.
• The notice cites the SC/ST Special Court’s March 2024 exoneration and a police closure report that found no evidence Rao abetted Vemula’s death after examining 59 witnesses.
• It grants Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka three days to apologize or face civil and criminal proceedings and a ₹25 crore damages claim.
• On July 11, the Deputy CM publicly alleged that Rao pressured police and university authorities to expel Vemula, contributing to the scholar’s decision to take his life.
• Rao became BJP Telangana president on July 1, and his elevation has drawn criticism from Congress over his past involvement in campus controversies.