A threat of possible arrest by the Andhra Pradesh police haunts several YSR Congress party leaders including former minister Jogi Ramesh as the state high court on Wednesday rejected their petitions seeking anticipatory bail.
As many as 14 YSRCP leaders have been booked in various cases in connection with the vandalism at TDP central office at Mangalagiri and the attack on the residence of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu during the regime of YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
On Wednesday, the court dismissed plea related to anticipatory bail in an alleged attack on Naidu's residence, while also denying anticipatory bail to several leaders of the YSRCP involved in a 2021 attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) central office.
The YSRCP leaders whose bail petitions were rejected by the high court include: Devineni Avinash, Talashila Raghuram, Nandigam Suresh, Lella Appireddy, and others.
They argued that the state-led investigation had become politically motivated following the recent change in power. However, the court dismissed the petition, saying there was no reason to grant them anticipatory bail till the investigation is completed.
The court also rejected their request for suspension of the court orders for two weeks, so that they can make an appeal before the division bench. They said there were judgements by the Supreme Court in this regard.
But the counsel for the TDP said there was no such order by the Supreme Court suspending the verdict on rejection of bail petitions.
“There is no question of giving any protection to the accused in the case,” the high court said.
In the wake of the high court order, there is every possibility that the state police might arrest all these YSRCP leaders anytime.