YSR Congress MP sent to judicial custody for assaulting AI manager(update)

YSR Congress MP Mithun Reddy was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Sunday in connection with a case filed against him in November last year for allegedly assaulting Air India station manager K. Rajasekhar after he failed to accommodate the former's relative after the boarding time was over.

The police took the MP into custody at Chennai airport early this morning. Anticipating that they would foment trouble, six YSR Congress MLAs were detained as a precaution ahead of Reddy's arrest.

YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy had in November last year dismissed the accusations against the lawmaker as politically motivated. But the CCTV footage of the airport showed the manager being pushed around and threatened by the politician and at least a dozen of his supporters.

The station manager's medical report said that he suffered fractures due to the assault and termed his injuries as 'grievous'.

A case was registered against Reddy and others under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 448 (house-trespass) of the Indian Penal Code.

During the course of investigation, the police had identified involvement of 19 persons, including the MP. 16 persons have already been arrested and released on bail.

The Hyderabad High Court had last week declined anticipatory bail to Reddy. As the MP had gone abroad, the Andhra Pradesh Police had approached the Ministry of Home Affairs for initiating a look out notice against him at all international airports in the country.