Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Kollu Ravindra was arrested in Machilipatnam on Thursday for allegedly obstructing police officials on election duty in the town. The police alleged that Ravindra had pushed an Inspector on Wednesday, the day of voting for municipal polls, after he cast his vote, as an argument broke in the 25th division of Machilipatnam.
The police alleged that he created an obstruction by staging a protest on the road near the polling station in the town’s Jalalpeta area, in violation of prohibitory orders that were in place for the election.
A case under sections 356 (Assault with criminal force), 506 (Criminal Intimidation) and 188 (Disobedience to order promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against him at Inaguduru police station in Machilipatnam. On Thursday morning, mild tension prevailed at his residence as his followers tried to confront the police who came to arrest Ravindra.
Ravindra was taken to police station first and taken to government hospital for medical examination before being produced in front of a court. However, in the evening, he was granted bail by a local court following which the police released him.
TDP chief and Leader of Opposition Chandrababu Naidu has condemned the arrest of Ravindra, terming it as "illegal" while accusing the government of doing "vendetta" politics on TDP leaders.
After receiving bail, Ravindra said that he was granted bail as the judge didn’t believe the charges against him. He alleged that Minister Perni Nani was behind the arrests and cases on him ever since the government came into power. Ravindra alleged that at least five false cases were foisted against him.
Ravindra said, "Police have created issues since Wednesday night. Today (Thursday) they came to my home and created a disturbance and even stopped my family from celebrating a festival."
Former Minister and senior TDP leader Devineni Uma alleged that YSRCP is foisting cases against TDP leaders. He said that Ravindra is not an anti-social element to be treated the way he was.
Chandrababu Naidu said that TDP leaders from the BC (Backward Classes) community were being targeted for standing up. Naidu’s son and TDP MLC Nara Lokesh asserted that the party would fight back, if the government tried to crush them with the arrests.