Hyderabad: Justice K Sujana of the Telangana High Court has reserved orders on two anticipatory bail petitions filed by Adla Sharath Chandra Naidu and Cheruku Ramesh, who are associated with actor Allu Arjun.
The petitions relate to the tragic stampede incident at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, which occurred during the premiere of Arjun’s film Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4, 2024.
The incident resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman from suffocation and serious injuries to her eight-year-old son.
The case is being investigated under FIR No. 376 of 2024, registered at Chikkadpally police station.
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According to the FIR and remand report, Naidu and Ramesh, along with other accused individuals, allegedly pushed the crowd away from Allu Arjun, leading to a surge that triggered the stampede.
The petitioners contend that the allegations against them are vague and do not meet the legal criteria for charges under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Their legal counsel emphasized that the FIR lacks specific details of any unlawful actions committed by Naidu and Ramesh, arguing that they did not engage in any illegal conduct.
They expressed concerns about potential unjustified detention or arrest if anticipatory bail is denied.
Additionally, they invoked Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagirik Suraksha Sanhitha, 2023, advocating for a balance between a fair investigation and preventing unnecessary harassment.
After hearing arguments from both sides and reviewing the evidence presented, Justice Sujana has reserved her decision on the anticipatory bail requests.
Meanwhile, Allu Arjun has been granted regular bail and is required to report to police weekly as part of his bail conditions.
