Vijayawada: Amid dramatic events and high tension, Telugu Desam party national president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was arrested in Nandyal town in the wee hours by the AP CID police.
A large number of police led by Anantapur DIG Raghurami Reddy arrived at the RK Function hall where Chandrababu Naidu was sleeping in his bus around 3 am.
The officers rounded up the bus and tried to wake Naidu.
Meanwhile, numerous TDP leaders and activists protested, demanding the police present a notice or relevant documents before arresting Naidu.
A heated argument took place between the police, TDP leaders and their lawyers. They argued that Naidu was under the cover of SPG protection and how he could be arrested in the wee hours.
However, at around 5 am Naidu came out of the bus and the police told them about the arrest. Naidu also asked them on what charges they were arresting him and asked to show the notice. The police told Naidu that they would give the FIR copy sometime later.
The police later served the FIR copy in which case was registered under Cr.NO 29/2021, U/S 120(B), 166, 167, 418, 420, 465, 466, 471, 409, 201, 109 r/w 34 & 37 IPC and Sec 12, 13 (2), 13 (1) (c) & d of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. Later the police took Naidu in a police vehicle to AP CID headquarters for questioning.
Earlier, talking to the media, Naidu has claimed that he has not committed any mistake and finally justice prevails. “I am fighting against the misrule of Jagan Mohan Reddy headed government. The government wants to muzzle my voice. I appeal to all the TDP cadres to maintain restraint,” he said. Significantly, Naidu, three days ago while addressing a meeting, indicated that he would be arrested in a couple of days.
Moreover, the AP CID police also arrested former minister and TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao in Visakhapatnam on the same charges. The police have either house arrested or detained a large number of TDP leaders across the state as a precautionary measure.
Knowing the arrest of Naidu, his son and TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh, who has been on padayatra for the last four months, tried to rush to meet his father. But the police prevented him. Lokesh staged a dharna by squatting on the road.
The APSRTC cancelled several bus services on the vulnerable routes as a precautionary measure. The AP DIC Chief will address a press conference today to give details on the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu.
