Andhra Pradesh police on Friday arrested YSRCP MP Raghurama Krishnam Raju, who revolted against party’s supremo and Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, from his house here at Boulder Hills of Gachibowli.
He was taken to Mangalagiri of Vijayawada after pasting a notice issued under provisions of Criminal Procedure Code on the wall of his house. A posse of policemen from AP Crime Investigation Department (CID) drove in four vehicles to the MP’s palatial house around 3.30 p.m. They entered the house and approached Mr. Raju, conveying to him that he was being arrested in a criminal case registered under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 124-A (sedition).
Other sections mentioned in the notice were 153-A (promoting enmity between different grounds on grounds of religion, race and place of birth etc) and 505 (statement conducting to public mischief) read with 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Even as the CID officials proceeded to arrest him, Mr. Raju vehemently resisted, picking up argument with them seeking to know on what grounds they were taking action against him.
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“I am an MP...you cannot arrest me without the consent of Speaker….you did not show the warrant also,” the MP was quoted as saying by eye-witnesses. The arguments continued for over 30 minutes. The AP CID officials told him that there was a case registered against him under non-bailable sections and hence they came over there to arrest him.
The Gachibowli police of Cyberabad arrived at the MP’s house on being informed by the AP CID authorities that they were proceeding to arrest him. The team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) providing protection to the MP stood guard around the MP as he argued with the CID officials resisting his arrest.
The MP wanted the police authorities to wait till arrival of his lawyers and explain clearly what was the case against him. Meanwhile, the CID authorities spoke with the CRPF officials and reportedly explained the case registered against the MP.
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After some time, the AP policemen physically lifted the MP and shifted him into one of their vehicles and rode off. A notice pasted on the wall of the house stated that “rejected to take notice and sign it”. The notice was signed by an officer Vijaya Paul, Additional SP of AP CID, effecting the arrest.