MLA Kotamreddy held, released on bail in Nellore

Nellore: Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy was arrested in the early hours of Sunday and later the Magistrate sanctioned bail to him and his follower. However, the MLA demanded a high-level probe into the issue.

It may be recalled that MPDO of Venkatachalam, A Sarala, had lodged a complaint with the police on Friday night that the MLA Sridhar Reddy and his follower Biradavolu Srikanth Reddy threatened and intimidated her.

District police responded immediately after Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took the allegations against the MLA seriously as he belonged to his own party and the complaint was lodged by a government official.

After the police arrested the MLA, he was taken to the Government General Hospital for medical examination. Later, the legislator and his follower were produced in the court in Nellore city and the Magistrate gave them bail.

The entire episode reportedly began late on Saturday night as Nellore rural police led by DSP K V Raghava Reddy formed special teams to arrest the MLA and reached the houses of Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and B Srikanth Reddy and held discussions with them for some time before the formal arrest.

Tension prevailed for some time with the arrest of MLA Sridhar Reddy at the YSR Congress rural party office and also at his residence. The supporters of the MLA heaved a sigh of relief after he was granted bail immediately.

After securing bail, the MLA and his follower reached the party office at Magunta Layout and interacted with the media. Sridhar Reddy said that he welcomed the decision of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy saying he had asked the police officials to verify facts and take appropriate action to protect the law and order. During the media conference, Sridhar Reddy made some allegations against the YSRCP leaders representing the Sarvepalli constituency.

He levelled allegations against SP Aishwarya Rastogi saying he was picked by former Minister Dr P Narayana. He said they were having differences and alleged that the SP was acting maliciously.

He said he had lodged a complaint with the District Collector against the SP very recently and subsequently the police officer began taking revenge against him. He condemned the police for entering into his house at midnight and troubling his family.

He denied visiting the house of MPDO A Sarala and threatening her. He held Pradeep Reddy, a close aide of Sarvepalli MLA Kakani Govardhan Reddy, was behind the complaint lodged against him. Kotamreddy said that he would quit the post and the YSRCP if the allegations leveled against him were proved.