HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind on Monday in a case under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan allowed Arvind’s petition seeking anticipatory bail in the case registered against him by the Madannapet police. The Chief Justice directed the police to release the petitioner on bail on furnishing personal bond in the event of his arrest.
A case was registered against Arvind based on a complaint by Bangaru Sailoo, a social worker from Nizamabad, on January 2 alleging that the MP had made derogatory and offensive comments at the Chanchalguda prison against persons belonging the SC and ST communities, calling them “Lottapisu”. After a case was filed, the court had refused to quash it and allowed the police to continue its probe. Apprehending his arrest, Arvind approached the High Court for anticipatory bail.
C. Pratap Reddy, public prosecutor, said a Section 41A CrPC notice would be issued and Arvind would not be arrested. However, following the insistence of senior counsel Bollam Rachna Reddy, the High Court directed the police Arvind, in the event of his arrest.
Rachna Reddy said the comments were not intentional, and that an amendment to the SC, ST POA Act allowed bail to the accused. She pointed out that Arvind was cooperating with the police in its probe.
