Telangana High court grants interim bail to Allu Arjun
Hyderabad: In a big relief to Tollywood actor and National award winner Allu Arjun Telangana High court grants interim bail for a limited period.Justice Juvvadi Sridevi of Telangana High court granted interim bail on Friday.
On December 11, he filed a stay petition and urged the Telangana High Court to grant a stay of all further proceedings in the case registered by Chikkadpally of Hyderabad commissionerate including the arrest, and to dispose of the criminal petition.
On December 13 Senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy moved a lunch motion. Allu Arjun was arrested by Chikkadpally Police in connection with the stampede that occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre, RTC Crossroads, in Hyderabad on December 4, 2024.
Senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, representing Allu Arjun, argued that the allegations against the actor lacked the intent necessary to establish culpable homicide. "To make out a case for culpable homicide, there needs to be an intention. The FIR doesn’t state that Allu Arjun had knowledge or intended harm," he emphasized. The counsel also recalled a similar case involving Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, where the court held that the actor was not criminally liable for a stampede during a promotional event.
The prosecution, however, contended that the accused cannot file an Interim Application (IA) in a quash petition for bail. The Public Prosecutor (PP) argued that the case lacked urgency and should be taken up on Monday. Despite this, the defense pushed for interim bail, citing infringement of the actor's personal liberty and the lack of custodial necessity.
While granting a limited-period interim bail, the High Court questioned the necessity of the actor’s detention, Justice Juvvadi Sridevi noted, “Can his personal liberty be deprived just because he is an actor?” The bench further remarked, “On this earth, he has the right to life and liberty. It can’t be taken away by virtue of being an actor.”
The court expressed concern over the treatment of Allu Arjun, Justice Juvvadi Sridevi said, “It’s actually bothering me. Just because he is an actor, can he be held like this? There are no ingredients in the case that warrant such actions.”
Allu Arjun was arrested by Chikkadpally Police over the stampede during the Pushpa 2: The Rule premiere at Sandhya Theatre, RTC Crossroads, Hyderabad on December 4, 2024. According to the police, at around 9:30 p.m. when Allu Arjun arrived with his security team, the crowd gathered to see the actor caused overcrowding in the lower balcony, where Revathi and her son suffocated.
Magudampalli Bhaskar’s complaint stated that his wife Revathi and son Sai Tej couldn’t breathe and had fallen due to suffocation in the lower balcony hall. The police rescued them and took them to Durga Bai Deshmukh hospital, but his wife was declared dead. After First-Aid, his son was shifted to KIMS Hospital, Begumpet for better treatment.
Bhaskar alleged, “The incident was caused by Sandhya 70 MM Theatre management, staff, and the crowd surged due to actor Allu Arjun and his security staff. Without prior arrangements, allowing the huge public into the theatre, and making us vacate the seats led to stampede, leading to my wife’s death and my son’s hospitalization.”
After the deceased woman's husband lodged a complaint, a case was filed against Allu Arjun, his security team, the theatre owner, and others. The case was registered under sections 105, 118(1) r/w 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Act.
Earlier, the Chikkadpally police arrested M. Sandeep (37), co-owner of Sandhya 70mm Theatre, M. Nagaraju (51), senior manager, and Gandhakam Vijay Chander (53), in charge of the lower balcony. After being presented in court, they were remanded to judicial custody.