MP Vijayasanthi held for 'inflammatory remarks'

Telangana Rashtra Samiti Member of Parliament and film actress Vijayasanthi and Congress Member of Legislative Assembly T Jayaprakash were on Saturday arrested on charges of making inflammatory remarks.

Vijayasanthi, 44, was later produced before the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate at Nampally, who sent her to 14 days judicial remand. Later, she was shifted to the Mahila Chandhalguda jail. The Banaraja Hills police had registered a case against the actress for allegedly making inflammatory remarks while addressing an election meeting of party workers at the TRS office in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The meeting was organised in connection with the July 27 by-polls to 12 assembly segments in the Telangana region. She had allegedly made the remarks against those opposed to the formation of a separate Telangana state.

Earlier, amidst high drama, Vijayasanthi was arrested when she was on her way to her parliamentary constituency in Medak district.

When Vijaysanthi's convoy reached a hospital in Banjara Hills area, police interrupted it. After heated arguments with Vijaysanthi and her supporters, the police asked her driver to come out, but he resisted. The police then pulled out the car driver and one of the police personnel drove the car to Nampally court.

Taking exception to the behaviour of the police, the TRS MP said, "I have not committed any mistake and I am not a criminal".

State Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy said she would seek an explanation from the police on the behaviour of its personnel.

Congress MLA Jayaprakash was arrested from his residence at Yusufguda for his recent inflammatory speech at a by-election meeting in the Telangana region, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Medak) Sesh Kumar said.

A case has been registered against him under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth and residence) and 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, ill-will or hatred between classes), said the police.

Image: Vijayasanthi after her arrest | Photograph: Snapsindia