The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the CBI to probe the alleged derogatory comments made by a few YSR Congress leaders against the judiciary.

A bench comprising of Justices Rakesh Kumar and J Uma Devi, directed the CBI to register an FIR in the case and submit its report within eight weeks.?

The court expressed displeasure over the manner in which the state CID had conducted the investigation in the case, and directed the state government to cooperate with the CBI.

A few YSR Congress leaders allegedly posted derogatory remarks against the judiciary on social media platforms following a few verdicts that went against the interest of the Andhra Pradesh state government.

On the directions of the High Court, the Andhra Pradesh HC Registrar General lodged a complaint with the CID. The state police wing has reportedly booked nine people in the case, so far.

The court took serious note of the comments made by AP Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, Deputy Chief Minister Narayana Swamy, MPs V Vijayasai Reddy, Nandigam Suresh, former MLA A Krishna Mohan and other leaders belonging to the ruling YSRC party and questioned the CID why cases were not registered against them.

"Their (YSRC leaders’) comments are perilous to democracy and amount to an attack on the judiciary. If some ordinary person makes any comment against the government, cases are promptly registered against such persons. When persons in power make comments against the judges and the courts, why are they not penalised? Looking at things, we are left to infer that a war has been declared on the judiciary," the HC bench commented during a hearing last week.