BRS MLA Kaushik Reddy gets bail in extortion case (Lead)

Hyderabad, June 21 (IANS) A court in Telangana’s Warangal town granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy hours after he was arrested by the police over allegations of extortion.

The court rejected the petition by police to send him to judicial custody and granted him conditional bail.

Warangal Subedari police arrested the MLA from Huzurabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on Saturday morning and shifted him to Warangal.

After a medical check-up at MGM Hospital, the MLA was produced before the Kazipet Railway Court. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge refused to send him to jail and granted him conditional bail.

After the court verdict, Kaushik Reddy said that though the Congress government acted with conspiracy to arrest him, he got justice in the court. He made it clear that no matter how many cases are filed against him, he would continue his fight on behalf of the people.

A case was registered against Kaushik Reddy at Subedari Police Station following a complaint by a granite quarry trader that the BRS leader threatened him, demanding payment of Rs 50 lakh.

Manoj Reddy, who operated a quarry in Vanagapalli in Kamlapur mandal, lodged a complaint through his wife Ramadevi that, citing public outcry over the granite quarry, the MLA extorted Rs 25 lakh and was demanding another Rs 50 lakh.

Police registered a case against the MLA for threatening and extortion under various sections of Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Kaushik Reddy had approached the Telangana High Court to quash the case, but his plea was dismissed on Monday. The prosecution has placed evidence before the court about the threatening calls from the MLA to the businessman.

The legislator’s counsel had argued that he was calling the businessman to inform him about the grievances of the people.

While being arrested at the airport, Kaushik Reddy said he would not stop questioning Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He alleged that he was arrested as he had questioned the operation of quarries by the ‘benamis’ of the Chief Minister.

The MLA slammed the arrest at the airport without serving any notice and called it an attack on democracy.

--IANS

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