Centre cancels citizenship of TRS MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh who once held German passport

The Union home ministry on Wednesday cancelled the citizenship of Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh on grounds that he had not fulfilled the stipulated norms while obtaining the Indian citizenship in 2009 when he was a German passport holder.

An order to this effect was issued by Secretary, Border Management of the MHA, who is the competent authority. “Under section 10 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, Ramesh Chennamaneni ceases to be a Citizen of India,” the 13-page order said.

Ramesh, who has been representing Vemulawada assembly constituency in newly-formed Rajanna Siricilla district (part of erstwhile Karimnagar), for the last three terms, is the nephew of former Maharashtra governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. Ramesh’s father late Ch Rajeshwar Rao was a veteran Communist leader and five-time-MLA who later defected to the Telugu Desam Party.

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Ramesh had gone to Germany for employment in early 1990s and obtained German citizenship in 1993, when he surrendered his Indian passport. In 2008, he returned to India and applied for Indian citizenship which was granted to him by the MHA. He won the election from Vemulawada assembly constituency in 2009 elections.

As per the Citizenship Act, a person who applies for an Indian citizenship should be present in India at least for 12 months before the date of application. But, a local leader Adi Srinivas who contested against him, complained to the MHA stating that Ramesh still held the German passport and had gone to Germany within this stipulated period of 12 months before being granted Indian citizenship.

A committee appointed by the ministry concluded that Ramesh had obtained the Indian citizenship by playing fraud upon the Government of India and concealing crucial material facts of his visits abroad during the last twelve months immediately preceding his application for Indian citizenship.

The MHA had earlier cancelled his citizenship in September 2017. However, he filed a review petition in the ministry and later moved the high court and obtained a stay order. Subsequently, he contested the assembly elections again in December 2018 and was elected from the same constituency for the third successive term.

The high court, which disposed of the case in July this year, referred the matter to MHA again. After conducting the enquiry, the MHA on Wednesday issued the order again, cancelling his citizenship.

Reacting on the MHA order cancelling his citizenship, Ramesh said he would once again move the high court to seek justice. “I will continue my legal battle till I get clean chit,” he said.