TDP LEADER AYYANNA PATRUDU AND HIS SON ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED FORGERY OF DOCUMENTS

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and Telugu Desam Party leader Ayyanna Patrudu and his son Rajesh were detained in the early hours of Thursday from their residence for allegedly fabricating documents in the High Court relating the construction of a wall in their home.

The two leaders were arrested early today by Crime Investigation Department (CID) Police and taken to the Eluru district.

According to reports, the CID opened an investigation after irrigation officials complained that they had filed a fake document to the High Court during the demolition of the house wall. The duo was accused of occupying the Ravanapalli irrigation canal and constructing the residence.

Padmavati, Ayyanna's wife, criticised the government for arresting Ayyanna Patrudu and Rajesh without prior notice.

She insisted that the government accept all responsibility for Ayyanna Patrudu's life.

In response to Ayyanna's arrest, Telugu Desam Party activists have declared Narsipatnam bandh.

The arrested TDP leader and his son will appear in court in Eluru later.

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu responded on Twitter and published a video of Ayyanna's arrest, claiming it an attempt to "suppress" the voice of backward class leaders.

"The arrest of former minister and BC leader Aiyanna Patrudi in Narsipatnam after jumping over walls and breaking doors has caused consternation," Naidu tweeted in Telugu, roughly translated into English.

He claimed that the Reddy government has been after Ayanna's family since it entered power.

"The government has been chasing Ayanna's family since coming to power... more than 10 cases have already been filed. In the case of Chintakayala Vijay, the police did not change even though the CID's procedures were wrong," he tweeted.

"Have there ever been situations in the state where the police raided houses like thieves and made arrests? Ayanna's arrest is to suppress the voice of BC leaders who are questioning about the exploitation of Uttarandhra by YCP," Naidu added.