BRS MLA arrested for threatening police officer, gets bail

Hyderabad (The Uttam Hindu): A city court has granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy in the case booked for allegedly threatening a police officer. Kaushik Reddy was produced before a magistrate at his residence in Nagole late on Thursday night. The magistrate imposed a penalty of Rs 5,000 and asked the accused to arrange two sureties.

Since sections invoked against the MLA provide for less than seven years of imprisonment, the court granted him bail. The judge warned the Huzurabad MLA against repeating the offence. Kaushik Reddy was arrested from his residence in Hyderabad amid high drama on Thursday. He was booked on Wednesday for threatening a Station House Officer at Banjara Hills Police Station. Harish Rao, Jagadish Reddy, K. Prabhakar Rao, Shambipur Raju and others were taken to different police stations. They were released in the evening.

A case against Kaushik Reddy and his supporters was booked at Banjara Hills Police Station on a complaint by Circle Inspector Raghavendra. The inspector alleged that MLA from Huzurabad threatened him and tried to obstruct him in the discharge of his duties. The incident occurred when the MLA along with about 20 supporters went to Banjara Hills Police Station to lodge a complaint that his phone was being tapped. When the MLA was coming to the station, the Circle Inspector or the Station House Officer Raghavendra was going out.

Kaushik Reddy insisted that the SHO should leave only after taking his complaint. When the police officer told him that he was going for some urgent work and would take the complaint on his return, the MLA vented his ire. Kaushik Reddy had a heated argument with the SHO and told him that when an MLA comes to the police station it is the duty of the SHO to receive him properly. He was heard threatening the police officer.

The MLA’s supporters stopped the SHO’s vehicle and raised slogans. The SHO came back and took the complaint from the MLA. Later, the police registered a case against Kaushik Reddy on a complaint by the SHO. The case has been registered for the offences of unlawful assembly; using force to obstruct the duties of a public servant; criminal intimidation; wrongful restraint, public nuisance and rioting against Kaushik Reddy and others.

Meanwhile, following his release on bail Kaushik Reddy said he was arrested illegally. He said he was not scared of arrests. The MLA said he would continue questioning the government on behalf of the people of Huzurabad.