BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy arrested, shifted to Karimnagar

BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy was arrested from near Jubilee Hills checkpost in Hyderabad on Monday, in connection with his argument on Sunday with Jagtial MLA M Sanjay Kumar during a review meeting in Karimnagar. He is being reportedly shifted to Karimnagar One Town police station and is likely to be presented before the magistrate for remand.

Kaushik Reddy participated in a panel discussion at a vernacular news channel at Jubilee Hills checkpost on Monday evening. Soon after he came out of the news channel office, the police from Karimnagar accompanied by their Jubilee Hills counterparts took him into custody.

Sources said learning about the MLA’s arrest, the BRS legal team along with senior BRS leaders also rushed to Karimnagar. While the local BRS leaders are said to be rushing to the One Town police station, the police are learnt to be



making arrangements to prevent any unnecessary confrontation.

During a review meeting at the Karimnagar collectorate on Sunday, Kaushik Reddy had a clash with Sanjay Kumar and interrupted the latter’s speech, and demanded him to declare his party affiliation before speaking. Sanjay Kumar who won from Jagtial on a BRS ticket, had defected to the ruling Congress in June last year. Later, he denied to have shifted to the Congress, but continued to participate in the Congress-related party activities.

As the verbal exchange escalated into a physical scuffle, the police officials intervened and dragged Kaushik Reddy away. Based on a complaint from the Congress leaders and also Karimnagar RDO Maheshwar Reddy, the police registered three cases accusing Kaushik Reddy of aggressive behaviour, verbal abuse, and creating a disturbance at the Collectorate.