HYDERABAD: A day after a criminal case was registered with the Pahadisharif police against veteran actor Manchu Mohan Babu for allegedly attacking a journalist at his house, the police have altered the section from causing hurt to attempt to commit murder.
Speakking to TNIE a Rachakonda police official said that the police have changed section 118 (1) to 109 of BNS section.
Initially the police booked a case against him under 118 (1) (causing hurt using dangerous weapons or substances). But after the case was registered, the police changed that section to 109 (Attempt to murder).
According to the 109 BNS section, the penalties include imprisonment for up to ten years and fines, with more severe consequences if the act causes harm to victim.
Mohan Babu’s sons Manchu Manoj and Manchu Vishnu appeared before Rachakonda Commissioner of Police G Sudheer Babu as per his directions following a feud that broke out in the actor’s family on Saturday.
It reached a flash point on Tuesday with Manoj barging into his father’s house at Jalpally. During the intense drama, Mohan Babu had hit a TV reporter with a mic.
As per the directions of the police commissioner, Manoj gave a bond for Rs 1 lakh guaranteeing to hold peace for a period of one year.
Meanwhile, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday gave exemption to Mohan Babu from appearing before the Rachakonda police till December 24. The court ordered the police to monitor the situation every two hours at the actor’s residence to ensure peace.
The court adjourned Mohan Babu’s plea to December 24 for further hearing.
Mohan Babu was admitted to Continental Hospital, Gachibowli, after the scuffle at his residence on Tuesday night. According to a hospital health bulletin, the actor was brought at 8.30 pm on Tuesday with complaints of diffuse body pains, anxiety and a history of loss of consciousness. “He is under medical observation,” the bulletin said.
Speaking to the media after appearing before the Rachakonda CP, Manoj said that he was assured that the police would provide him security. “I promised him (Rachakonda CP) that from my side there will not be any problems. The CP told me that the police nabbed a person named Kiran and another person, Vijay Reddy, would be arrested,” he said.
In his complaint to the police, Manoj alleged that Kiran, Vijay and others stole the CCTV footage showing them threatening his wife. He also apologised on behalf of his father and brother to the media for assault on a scribe by Mohan Babu.
Speaking to the media at the Continental Hospital, Vishnu said that the attack on a TV journalist was very unfortunate. “It was not deliberate but it happened in the heat of the moment. I spoke with the the family of the injured reporter. I wish it did not happen. We all feel sorry for it,” Vishnu added.
“I do not quite understand who leaked to the media about the Rachakonda police decision to issue notices to us. It is very unfortunate. Is this a trial by the media or do they really want to resolve something? I really need to understand that,” Vishnu said.
Journalists from across the two Telugu states condemned the attack on the reporter. Members of journalist fraternity staged a protest in Hyderabad and demanded the arrest of Mohan Babu. Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) president Allam Narayana said that the actor did not show any regret about the incident. The injured journalist underwent a surgery. The government should take action on the issue, he said.
I&PR Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy took to X and said that they would take the attack on a journalist as a serious matter. “We have ordered an investigation into the issue,” he said.
BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the government will stand by the journalists. “We will take action against those involved in the attack on journalists.”