YSRTP leader Sharmila gets bail hours after dramatic arrest

Hyderabad: A city court on Tuesday granted bail to YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y.S. Sharmila, hours after she was arrested by the police amid high drama while on her way to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Raos official residence in a vehicle damaged in an attack by TRS men in Warangal district the previous day.

The police on Tuesday night produced her and six others before a magistrate, who granted them bail on personal bond.

While the police sought remand of Sharmila, her lawyer argued that the police registered false cases against her though she wanted to stage a peaceful protest along with her supporters. After hearing both sides, the magistrate granted bail to YSRTP leader and others.

This capped the day-long dramatic developments that began with Sharmila along with her supporters heading to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s residence to stage a protest against the attack on her convoy by the ruling party cadres during her ‘Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra.

Dramatic scenes were witnessed on Raj Bhavan road when the police stopped the rally taken out by YSRTP with damaged bus and car. Sharmila, who was driving the damaged car, refused to get down from the vehicle. The police then towed away the car with Sharmila still sitting inside.

Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was taken to SR Nagar Police Station. There was more drama as she refused to come out of the car. The police personnel forcibly opened the door and lifted her into the police station. The police used force to disperse a group of YSRTP men who had gathered there to protest her arrest.

Sharmila’s mother Vijayamma was placed under house arrest when she was leaving for police station to meet her daughter. Vijayamma then sat on the protest at her Lotus Pond residence.

Sharmila’s husband, Anil Kumar, reached the police station and condemned the ‘highhanded’ behaviour of the police. He said a woman leader raising people’s issues has been arrested and booked under non-bailable sections.

Sharmila and six others were booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful restraint), 290 (public nuisance), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting modesty of woman), 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and, 382 (Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft)

The FIR was registered at Panjagutta police station on a complaint by K. Akhila, a woman sub-inspector.

The other accused were Induja Reddy, Sudha Rani, Md Musharf, Basha, Sanjeev Kumar, Kodem Srinu and others.