Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday, sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court here in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of his blockbuster “Pushpa 2: The Rule” and granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court —-all in less than five hours in a dramatic turn of events.
The actor, it seemed, may have to spend the night in jail despite the HC relief, as the prison authorities had not received a copy of the bail till late on Friday, the jail sources said.
Even if it is received, the bail copy has to be scrutinized and the release may not be feasible on Friday, the sources said, indicating that he is likely to be walk out on Saturday morning.
The high-profile arrest also triggered a political slugfest with the BJP and BRS lashing out at
the ruling Congress in Telangana, questioning the treatment meted out to the star and TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud hitting back, saying the law is equal for everyone and it will take its course.
Some drama ensued when police descended at the residence of the national award-winning actor as visuals showed him purportedly arguing with a cop and objecting to them for coming up to his bedroom.
“It is definitely not a good thing,” he was heard saying.
The national award-winning actor was taken to the Chikkadpally police station in a police vehicle, in a sudden development that shocked his fans and surprised others.
He was produced before the Nampally court, which remanded him to a 14-day judicial custody. He was shifted to jail under heavy security.
A 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised on December 4 during a stampede-like situation at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when thousands of fans jostled to have a glimpse of the actor at the premiere of the blockbuster movie.
Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman’s family.
Allu Arjun on December 11 approached the Telangana High Court seeking to quash the FIR registered against him.
Shortly after Arjun was remanded to judicial custody by the local court on Friday, the high court granted him a four-week interim bail and posted the case to January 21, 2025, for further hearing.
Reacting to the arrest, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said the actor deserved better treatment, while BRS Working President K T Rama Rao slammed the government for treating the star like a “common criminal”.
Responding to the criticism, Goud told PTI: “Whether it is a common man or a celebrity, the law applies to all. Law is equal for all. Arjun should not have come without proper intimation to the police. It has claimed one precious life. The law will take its course”.
Adding a twist to the case, the husband of the deceased said he doesn’t find fault with Allu Arjun for the tragedy.
He said he is ready to withdraw his case over the incident.
While hiring a Lunch Motion moved by the actor, high court judge Justice J Sridevi directed him to submit a surety of Rs 50,000 to jail authorities and that he should cooperate in the investigation.
Arjun’s legal teams argued that the theatre management informed the police well in advance about the actors’ programme and sought security and traffic management.
Senior Advocate S Niranjan Reddy appearing for the actor argued that just because there is a death by stampede, a popular person cannot be accused of a crime unless there is a deliberate and direct negligence or omission.
He also argued that culpable homicide not amounting to murder will not be applicable against the actor in this case.
After the formal arrest, Allu Arjun was taken to the state-run Gandhi Hospital for medical tests. His father-in-law Chandrasekhar Reddy came to the police station while Arjun’s father Aravind was present at the hospital when the actor was brought for medical tests.
Allu Arjun last week announced Rs 25 lakh to the family of the deceased and also assured the grieving family that they are not alone in this painful situation and he will meet the family personally.
Earlier, the police arrested three persons — one of the owners of the theatre, its senior manager and the lower balcony in charge in connection with the case registered over the death of the woman due to asphyxiation as crowds jostled at the theatre during the premiere show of Allu Arjun’s movie.
According to the police, a huge crowd had gathered at the theatre to watch the movie and have a glimpse of the movie’s lead actors coming to the theatre. However, there was no intimation from the side of the theatre management or actors’ team that they would be visiting the theatre.
