Amid high drama, actress-turned TRS MP Vijayasanthi was on Saturday arrested in Hyderabad on charges of making inflammatory remarks on the Telangana issue and later released on bail in the evening.
The 44-year-old Telangana Rashtra Samiti MP was earlier remanded to 14 days judicial custody after which party leaders approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which granted her bail.
The city police arrested Vijayasanthi at around noon when she was on her way to her parliamentary constituency in Medak district for allegedly making inflammatory remarks against those opposed to the formation of a separate Telangana state during an election meeting at the TRS office here on Wednesday.
The meeting was organised in connection with the bypolls to 12 Assembly segments to be held on July 27 in the Telangana region. When the convoy of Vijaysanthi reached new L V Prasad Eye hospital on Banjara Hills area, police interrupted the convoy. After some heated exchange of words with Vijaysanthi and her supporters, the police pulled out her driver, who initially resisted, and one of the police personnel drove the car to Nampally court.
The Banjara Hills police had tried to arrest the women MP yesterday, but could not do so as she was not at home at that time. The Election Commission has given time till July 4 to the MP to give reply on her remarks.
"It is the victory of the party, which fought for my release," Vijayasanthi told reporters after her release. Earlier, the she said she would not file any bail application. "I accepted bail because it was filed by my party. As per the instruction of my party I came out," the MP said. Taking exception to the behaviour of the police, she said, "I have not committed any mistake and I am not a criminal".
She was charged under under IPC sections 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth and residence) and 505(2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, ill-will or hatred between classes), police said. TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, addressing a party meeting here, said they cannot keep quite when one of their MPs is languishing jail.
The MP was scheduled to attend a party function with Hareesh Rao- TRS leader and party candidate for by-elections in Siddipet constituency which falls under Medak.
State Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy said she would seek an explanation from the police on the behaviour of its personnel. Meanwhile, Congress MLA T Jayaprakash was also arrested by Medak Police on similar charges.
The Congress MLA was arrested from his residence at Yusufguda in the city for his alleged inflammatory speech at a by-election meeting in the Telangana region, Sesh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Medak, said. PTI
