HYDERABAD: Hyderabad police on Wednesday arrested former Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya and TDP leader AV Subba Reddy in connection with the kidnap of international badminton player Praveen Rao and his brothers Sunil Rao and Naveen Rao, who are believed to be relatives of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said that they rescued the victims within three hours of the crime being reported. Subba Reddy, along with Akhila Priya and her husband Bhargava Ram, conspired and had the victims kidnapped in connection with a dispute over ownership of a 25-acre land at Hafeezpet near HiTec City. Police are on the lookout for Bhargava Ram.“Based on the complaint from the victims’ family, the accused have been identified. We have evidence against them,” the Police Commissioner said.
During the investigation, police found that a parcel of land measuring about 25 acres in Hafeezpet was purchased by Praveen, the paternal uncle of the complainant. There were some issues over the land in which AV Subba Reddy and Akhila Priya’s late father Bhuma Nagi Reddy came to an understanding with Praveen. But, Subba Reddy, while settling Nagireddy’s share in the land, did not honour the terms of their agreement. After Bhuma Nagi Reddy’s death, Akhila Priya approached Praveen for a share in the land.
But Praveen made it clear to her that he had honoured his end of the agreement and that she would have to settle the issue with Subba Reddy. However, Akhila Priya had been threatening him with consequences if Praveen did not part with the portion of land that was supposed to be transferred into her name.
In the same issue, a criminal trespass case was registered against AV Subba Reddy and others at Miyapur police station of Cyberabad. Police also found that in the past both parties made several attempts to settle the issue, but they could not reach an amicable agreement. Akhila Priya and her husband then got the victims kidnapped by their henchmen. While stating that Srinivas Choudhary alias Gunturu Sreenu, Sai, Chanti and Prakash were involved in the kidnap, Anjani Kumar, said: “More people are involved in the offence and their details are being verified. We are deputing special teams to nab the others. We will take the help of AP police to nab them.”
Remanded to 14-day judicial custody
Bhuma Akhila Priya has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody after she was produced before the Magistrate late on Wednesday. She was then shifted to the Chanchalguda Central Prison. Her counsel moved a bail petition, informing the court that she has no connection with the case. The Magistrate posted the hearing to Thursday.