YSR Telangana Party president Y.S. Sharmila, who was booked by the Banjara Hills police on Monday for allegedly assaulting a female police constable and manhandling other officers, was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by Nampally Court late in the evening. She was shifted to Chanchalguda prison even as her lawyers have decided to move bail petition on Tuesday.
As per official sources, arrangements were being done at the Chanchalguda Women’s Jail for her late-night admission. The assault and manhandling of the officers took place outside her Lotus Pond residence in the morning when she was to start out to the Special Investigation Team’s office over TSPSC question paper leak case.
The police citing law and order issue objected to her plan. A visibly irate Ms. Sharmila questioned the officers on why she was being restrained. She purportedly slapped a female constable, and pushed and argued with other officers who tried forcing her into the SUV. After she got into her own SUV, she forced her driver to move ahead despite the officers obstructing her way. Reportedly, Giribabu, a constable suffered a ligament injury in the commotion.
Ms. Sharmila was taken to the nearby police station. As per information, she was booked under relevant charges of assault to deter public servant from discharge of duty (IPC. 353), voluntarily causing hurt to any person being a public servant in the discharge of his duty (332), insulting modesty of a woman (509) and mischief (427). Her drivers Balu and Jacob were added as other accused persons in the case.
Speaking to mediapersons, DCP (West) Joel Davis said the police were at her residence to prevent her from going to the SIT office for law & order issues. But based on the scenes following it, as per video capture, she was booked for assaulting police officers, he said.
Ms. Sharmila’s husband Anil Kumar later visited her at the police station and enquired about the incident.
But when Y.S. Vijayalakshmi, mother of Ms. Sharmila, started out to see her at the station, the police obstructed. The heated exchange continued again, and in similar circumstances to the scenes witnessed in the forenoon, Ms. Vijayalakshmi too slapped an officer on duty. The scene was caught on video. She was later removed in a vehicle and sent back to her residence.
Speaking to the media, Ms. Vijayalakshmi condemned Sharmila’s arrest and said the Bharat Rashtra Samithi government was targeting her daughter as she had been questioning the failures.
“Shouldn’t the Opposition question the government? Why are the police objecting to Sharmila’s personal freedom? The police assaulted her driver and gunmen, and she too, like me, was raged when several constables laid hands on her,” she said, and added that she would approach the court for justice.
Meanwhile, a petition for Ms. Sharmila’s bail was filed, and its hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.
