Jagan Reddy's Aide Arrested, Granted Bail And Re-Arrested In Multiple Cases

YSR Congress Party leader Pudi Srihari, who was also public relations officer for former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was arrested, granted bail, and subsequently re-detained in connection with multiple cases across Andhra Pradesh.

Srihari was first taken into custody and brought to Kuppam in Chittoor district on Thursday. After proceedings ended in the additional junior civil judge court, he got bail the same day.

However, shortly after his release, the police issued fresh notices and sent a team from Guntur. They came and took him into custody again in connection with another case, shifting him to Kothapet for further investigation.

The arrest, release and re-arrest have triggered strong political reactions, with the YSR Congress Party alleging targeted harassment of its party leader by the ruling TDP-led NDA government.

"The continued harassment of Pudi Srihari clearly reflects political vendetta," the party said.

Tension also escalated further in Guntur when YSRCP MLC Lella Appireddy tried to meet Srihari in a hospital where he was taken for medical examination. The MLC alleged the police blocked him and refused his entry into the hospital.

"Police did a shocking act by locking the emergency department and blocking patients," he alleged.

Srihari was initially arrested on April 15 in Chittoor over an alleged provocative social media post targeting Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. He was released after the high court granted him bail.

However, the police got him again after the Supreme Court cancelled the bail. After this, he was granted bail by a local court in Kuppam on Thursday.