HYDERABAD: Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was released on Saturday morning from the jail where he spent the night after being arrested in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede here during the premiere of his latest film. Arjun had to spend Friday night in prison despite the Telangana High Court granting him bail, as the authorities had not received a copy of the bail order until late last night.
“He has been released,” Ashok Reddy, his counsel, told reporters at the Chanchalguda prison.
Immediately after the release, the 42-year-old actor was driven to his residence, and he was seen hugging his family.
The actor’s counsel claimed that the prison authorities did not release the actor despite having gotten the High Court order copy.
“You should question the government and the department why they have not released the accused. The High Court order is very specific. Forthwith, the moment you (prison authorities) receive the order, they should release him. Despite the clear order, they have not released it; they have to answer. This is an illegal detention. We will take legal steps,” Reddy said.
According to him, Arjun was kept in the jail as a “special category prisoner.”.
The Pushpa actor was arrested from his residence on Friday morning, unfolding a day-long dramatic turn of events.
After the arrest, he was produced in a local court, which remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody. However, his lawyers moved the HC and secured interim bail.
Arjun was lodged in Chanchalguda prison shortly before the HC spelt its order.
A 35-year-old woman died, and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised on December 4 during a stampede-like situation at the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when thousands of fans jostled to have a glimpse of the actor at the premiere of the blockbuster ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule.’.
Following the incident, the city police registered a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint lodged by the deceased woman’s family.
Meanwhile, police stepped up security outside the star’s city residence, anticipating a surge of the actor’s fans post his release.
