Telangana High Court grants interim bail to Allu Arjun in theatre stampede case

Telugu actor Allu Arjun was granted interim bail for four weeks by the Telangana High Court on Friday, 13 December, following his arrest in connection with the tragic stampede outside a cinema hall in Hyderabad last week. The incident, which occurred during an unscheduled visit by Arjun to the Sandhya Theatre, resulted in the death of a woman and injury to her son.

Justice Juvvadi Sridevi, after hearing the arguments for about two hours, decided to grant the temporary relief, emphasizing the importance of preserving the actor’s right to liberty. “I’m inclined to give interim bail, for a limited period, following the Arnab Goswami case. Bonds to be given to the Jail superintendent since arrest is made,” she said while dictating the order. She further remarked, “It’s actually bothering me. Just because he is an actor, can he be held like this? There are no ingredients… On this earth, he has the right to life and liberty. It can’t be taken away by virtue of being an actor.”

Earlier that day, a lunch motion was moved before Justice Sridevi by Arjun’s legal team, which was allowed. The public prosecutor opposed the request, stating that seven individuals had already been arrested in connection with the incident, and sought additional time to file a response.

While the legal battle unfolded in the high court, Arjun had already been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a magistrate court. Senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, appearing for the actor, argued that to charge Arjun with culpable homicide, intent would need to be established. Reddy pointed out that the police report did not suggest any prior knowledge of a potential death. “When you read the FIR, does it say that Allu Arjun knew some death was going to happen? Even the instructions given by the SHO don’t say that there was a chance of death to occur,” Reddy argued. He compared the case to a previous incident involving actor Shahrukh Khan, who faced no criminal liability despite causing a stampede at a train station during a promotional event.

Reddy also emphasized that Arjun had not actively provoked the crowd, highlighting that both the actor and the film’s producer had informed the theatre management of the visit. “Actor was coming, everybody knew, the Police knew. Here the actor was not even proactively doing anything,” he said.

The incident occurred when a crowd surged outside the theatre after news spread of Arjun’s unscheduled appearance. The actor, who was on the first floor, did not interact with the crowd directly. Tragically, a woman, identified as Revathi, was caught in the crowd on the ground floor, leading to the stampede.

In his defense, Reddy argued that the charges under Section 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) were not applicable, as no dangerous weapons were used. He further contended that even if a charge under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) was applicable, the maximum punishment was five years, which did not justify the actor’s arrest.

Reddy also drew from the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Arnab Goswami case, which allowed for interim bail when no prima facie case was established. “Deprivation of liberty for even one day is one too many,” he stated, urging for Allu Arjun’s release.

In a dramatic turn, the complainant, Bhaskar, the husband of the deceased woman, withdrew the case, stating, “I am ready to withdraw the case. I was not aware of the arrest. Allu Arjun has nothing to do with the stampede in which my wife passed away.”

Arjun later expressed his condolences over the tragic incident, posting on social media, “Deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident… My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family during this unimaginably difficult time. I want to assure them they are not alone in this pain and will meet the family personally.” He also announced a ₹25 lakh donation for the victim’s family and pledged to cover the boy’s medical expenses.

The arrest has prompted criticism from political figures, including BRS leader KT Rama Rao, who condemned the government’s actions. “Treating Allu Arjun garu as a common criminal is uncalled for, especially for something he isn’t directly responsible for. I strongly condemn the high-handed behavior of the government,” he stated.

The tragic event has raised questions about crowd management at celebrity events, with many urging stricter safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

About Author

SSZee Media

Provider of Quality Entertainment News and Information

See author's posts