Nellore YSRC MLA otamreddy Sridhar Reddy arrested, freed on bail

On Sunday, a police team led by DSP KV Raghava Reddy reached the residence  of Sridhar Reddy and arrested him.
Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy (File Photo |EPS)
Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy (File Photo |EPS)

NELLORE: Hours after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed police not to hesitate in taking action against his own party MLA for allegedly threatening a government official, the Nellore police in the wee hours of Sunday arrested Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, who represents Nellore Rural Assembly constituency, and produced him before a magistrate. Later, he was released on bail.

The arrest exposed political differences within the YSRC in the district with Sridhar Reddy holding his own party leaders and Superintendent of Police Aishwarya Rastogi responsible for the case against him and his subsequent arrest.

It may be recalled that Venkatachalam MPDO A Sarala lodged a complaint with the police alleging that the MLA and his associates had threatened her demanding that she provide water connection to a layout in Golagamudi without delay. Though the police dilly-dallied initially, they registered a case against the MLA.

On Sunday, a police team led by DSP KV Raghava Reddy reached the residence of Sridhar Reddy and arrested him. He was put through medical tests before being produced in the court.

This led to some tense moments in Nellore city with a large number of followers of the MLA converging at the YSRC city office as well as his residence. Additional forces were deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, alleging that a woman constable entered their house and behaved rudely with them, Radhika Reddy, wife of MLA’s aide B Srikanth Reddy, lodged a complaint with the Nellore rural police station. Srikanth Reddy was not at home when the police team went to his house to arrest him.

Speaking to media persons at the party office after being released on bail by the local court, Sridhar Reddy hailed the decision of the Chief Minister in upholding rule of law.

However, Sridhar Reddy created a stir by blaming his own party leaders from Sarvepalli constituency for his arrest.“I have contacted Govardhan Reddy, who is my close relative, on the issue of providing water connection to the layout. But he ignored the issue,’’ he maintained.

Sources in the district YSRC party said that Sridhar Reddy was once an associate of Kakani when the latter was the zilla parishad chairperson. Though he parted ways with Kakani, the differences between them never came out in the open till the latest episode.

Sridhar Reddy also blamed SP Aishwarya Rastogi for the embarrassment. “I have neither visited the house of MPDO A Sarala nor have I threatened her. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the police to take action against me if they had evidence. Unfortunately, I have problems with the SP. I even gave a complaint to the collector recently against the SP. Holding a grouse against me, the SP tried to take revenge on me by arresting me. Police created a nuisance by knocking on my door at midnight,’’ he said and added that he would have himself surrendered before the police if they had called him on phone.

The MLA also alleged that former minister P Narayana got Aishwarya Rastogi posted as the district SP. “Once I launched an agitation against the corporate mafia in education for collecting a huge fee from students. This is another reason behind my arrest,’’ Sridhar Reddy alleged.  He said he would resign as MLA if the allegations against him were proved and demanded an inquiry by a high-level committee to bring out facts in the case.

I will resign if charges are proved: MLA
Nellore: MLA Sridhar Reddy demanded the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate the allegations against him and bring out the facts. He said he will resign from the Assembly if allegations against him are proved

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