Sabitha defends Sadak Bandh arrests

Opposition parties demand withdrawal of cases Hyderabad: Amid strong protests from TDP, TRS, BJP and other parties over the issue of filing cases against leaders of Telangana JAC and TRS leaders, Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy on Saturday said that police acted as per the law. Non-bailable cases were booked against TJAC chairman M Kodandaram, TRS floor leader E Rajendar and other MLAs after taking legal opinion. The arrested leaders participated in Sadak Bandh on NH 44 on March 21. She denied that the arrest of JAC and TRS leaders was a 'political vendetta'. Based on a complaint lodged by an APSRTC driver and evidences furnished by police, cases were booked for destroying public properties. It was unfortunate that untoward incidents like pelting stones on RTC buses, trucks and lorries and endangering lives of passengers occurred, she added. Sabitha said cases were booked against 1,400 Telangana activists, 17 MLAs and five MLCs who were all arrested and released during the agitation. Following the Supreme Court's direction to states that dharnas should not be allowed on highways, government did not permit JAC to organise the agitation, she informed. Police showed utmost consideration for the MLAs by extending all necessary courtesies while they were in custody and the information relating to their arrest was promptly informed to AP Legislative Assembly officials, she said and added that as duty bound to maintain law and order and protect the fundamental rights and freedom of citizens, police made necessary arrangements to mobilise adequate forces and imposed regulatory orders along the National Highway from Shamshabad to Alampur Cross Roads on 180 kilometres stretch. Demanding the government to withdraw cases against TRS legislators and Prof. Kodandaram, TRS senior leader T Harish Rao alleged that government was vindictive towards TRS for moving no- confidence motion against Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy's government. A It was unfortunate that the government failed to protect the rights of MLAs when the Assembly session was on, he added. Another TRS MLA Ch Ramesh said that as Speaker N Manohar was the custodian of the House, he demanded a probe into the arrests by constituting a house committee or the Home minister inquiring into the incident.

Probe ordered into Moinabad clashes Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy on Saturday said that a probe has been ordered into the fresh clashes between two groups at Moinabad and directed Ranga Reddy district Superintendent of Police (SP) to rush to the spot and inquire into the incident immediately. Responding to AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi's allegation that Muslim youth and elder people were arrested in the clashes and no action was taken against others who allegedly attacked them, she said in the Assembly that the clash was a small incident. Cases were booked against the two groups and 64 persons from both the communities were arrested in connection with the incident.