Hyderabad:
In a significant development in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, actor Allu Arjun made a virtual appearance before the Nampally court on December 27. This appearance was necessitated due to the sensitive nature of the case, which has garnered widespread public attention and concern.
Arrest and Judicial Custody
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the tragic stampede that occurred on December 4 during the premiere of his film ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad. The incident resulted in the death of a 32-year-old woman, Mogudampalli Revathi, and left her 9-year-old son, Sri Tej, seriously injured. Following his arrest, Allu Arjun was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the Nampally court.
Interim Bail and Virtual Appearance
The Telangana High Court intervened, granting Allu Arjun interim bail for four weeks, which led to his release from Chanchalguda Jail. As the judicial remand period concluded on December 27, the actor was required to present himself before the court for further proceedings. To avoid any potential chaos, his lawyers successfully petitioned for a virtual appearance via video conference.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The Nampally court has adjourned the hearing on Allu Arjun’s regular bail petition to December 30, allowing the police additional time to file their counter-petition. The court also postponed the hearing related to his remand to January 10, when the actor is expected to appear in person. The police had previously booked Allu Arjun, his team, and the theatre management for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Investigation and Public Reaction
As part of the investigation, Allu Arjun was interrogated for three hours at Chikkadpally Police Station on December 24. The police compiled a 10-minute video from CCTV footage to question the actor about the incident. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy criticized Allu Arjun for visiting the theatre without police permission and conducting a ‘roadshow’ that exacerbated the situation. Allu Arjun responded by addressing a press conference, denying the allegations and expressing his hurt over what he termed as character assassination.
