Former Congress MP Rao taken into preventive custody, released

Former Congress MP V Hanumantha Rao was today taken into preventive custody after he staged a sit-in here protesting against the registration of a case against him for allegedly abusing a police official.
"Rao along with 13 other local party leaders were taken into preventive custody when they held a protest. They were later released," Panjagutta Police Station Inspector S Mohan Kumar told PTI.
Rao had staged a sit-in along with other party leaders near Rajiv Gandhi statue in Somajiguda here. As police shifted him in a vehicle, Rao and others were seen raising slogans 'Save Democracy' and condemning the "high-handedness" of police.

Rao had argued with a police official in the Telangana State Assembly premises on Thursday when he was not allowed to proceed towards media point.
A video in which Rao is seen shouting at the police official started making rounds on social media yesterday.
The Congress leader is seen shouting at P Sudhakar, an additional inspector of police attached to Kamatipura Station, who was on duty at the Assembly.

The video shows the inspector trying to stop Rao by informing him that he had instructions from his seniors not to allow any former MLA, MLC or MPs to the media point.

"Who are you to stop me? You have no right to stop. I am AICC secretary. This is not dictatorship. Tell your CM (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao), I can go and sit in front of his house," Rao is seen saying in the video.
Following a complaint by the police official alleging that Rao had abused him, Saifabad Police had yesterday booked a case against Rao.