SRIKAKULAM: AP Telugu Desam Party president Kinjarapu Atchannaidu was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly intimidating a candidate supported by the ruling YSRC to prevent him from filing his nomination papers for the panchayat election.
A huge posse of policemen reached Atchannaidu’s residence at Nimmada village in Tekkali Assembly segment in the morning and took him into custody. Atchannaidu, who represents Tekkali Assembly segment, was taken to the Primary Health Centre at Kotabommali to undergo the mandatory Covid-19 test. Later, he was produced in court and Atchannaidu was sent to 14 days judicial remand.
The former minister was named as accused No. 3 in a poll related incident at Nimmada two days ago. K Appanna, a YSRC backed candidate, who is also a close relative of Atchannaidu, wanted to contest the village panchayat poll. Atchannaidu spoke to Appanna over phone and asked him to refrain from entering the fray so that the TDP candidate will win the village panchayat election unanimously.
The telephonic conversation in which Atchannaidu tried to lure Appanna and prevent him from filing his nomination, leaked and went viral.On Sunday, when Appanna went to file his nomination, Atchannaidu’s brother Hari Prasad and others tried to stop him from contesting the election. Tekkali Assembly segment YSRC convenor Duvvada Srinivas also reached the place along with his followers and both the groups jostled with each other.
TDP activists tried to snatch away the nomination papers from Appanna leading to a chaotic situation. Appanna later filed his nomination amid heavy police presence. Based on a complaint lodged by Appanna, the police registered a case against Hari Prasad and 20 others, including Atchannaidu. Twelve of the accused in the case were arrested on Monday night. They were charged with unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and attempt to murder. A case under Sections 147, 148, 324, 307, 384, 506, 341, 120(b), 109, 188 read with 149 of IPC and the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 was filed against them.
A defiant Atchannaidu lashed out at police while being taken to court after his arrest. He asked as to how the DSP and the CI could enter into his bedroom and take him into custody without serving a notice. “I would have appeared before police if the notice was served,’’ the AP TDP chief said.
TDP spokesman Pattabhi attacked
Vijayawada: Unknown miscreants attacked TDP official spokesman K Pattabhi at his house at Guru Nanak Colony in the city on Tuesday. He sustained minor injuries on his hands and legs in the attack. Pattabhi said he was receiving threatening calls for the past one week and alleged the role of YSRC leaders in the attack. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu demanded a thorough probe into the incident