BRS MLA Kaushik Reddy Arrested In Extortion Case, Opposition Alleges Political Vendetta

Hyderabad: Huzurabad MLA and BRS leader Padi Kaushik Reddy was on Saturday arrested by the Warangal Subedari police at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad. The BRS leader's arrest, in a criminal case, has triggered a heated political faceoff between the ruling Congress party and the Opposition BRS party. In the wake of arrest of the MLA, the BRS accused the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government of orchestrating a "calculated conspiracy" to silence dissent.

According to reports, the police action against the BRS MLA came after a complaint was lodged by the wife of granite quarry businessman Manoj Reddy, alleging that Kaushik Reddy had threatened her husband and demanded money. A case was registered against the MLA under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

Following the registration of an FIR, the police moved swiftly for action, and Kaushik Reddy was taken into custody. The police later took him to Warangal for further proceedings.

BRS Alleges Foul Play

Meanwhile, the arrest has drawn sharp criticism from the BRS, with working president KT Rama Rao condemning it as a blatant and undemocratic act allegedly orchestrated on the directions of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. "This is not law enforcement; it is a calculated conspiracy to silence dissent," Rama Rao said, adding that the Congress government was targeting Kaushik Reddy because he consistently questioned the government's "corruption, ministerial misconduct, and administrative failures".

Senior BRS leaders, including former ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao, D Vinay Bhaskar, and Challa Dharmareddy, rushed to Warangal and met Police Commissioner Sunpreet Singh, requesting the police to amend the sections invoked in the case. The Commissioner assured them that the matter would be reviewed in consultation with legal advisors. Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao also condemned the arrest, alleging that the Congress government had abandoned governance and was now indulging in politically motivated harassment.

BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of trying to practise falsehoods and cheap political tricks and demanded Kaushik Reddy's unconditional release, vowing to continue fighting for the people.