BRS cites Rahul case, seeks Sanjay's Lok Sabha disqualification

HYDERABAD: Telangana police on Wednesday arrested BJP's Telangana state unit president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The drama began Tuesday midnight when he was taken into preventive custody from the home of his in-laws in Karimnagar. He was produced before a Hanumukonda magistrate on Wednesday.
Police officials alleged he conspired with other accused and leaked the Class X board exam's Hindi question paper to damage the image of the state government and cause confusion among students. He also allegedly instructed ex-journalist B Prashant to exploit the situation. Sanjay has been charged with criminal conspiracy under the Telangana State Public Examination (Prevention of Malpractice) Act and the IT Act.
Using Rahul Gandhi's defamation case, BRS members started demanding Sanjay's disqualification from Lok Sabha as he had been booked under sections that invite punishment of over two years in jail. BJP members slammed the arrest, saying it was politically motivated to divert attention from the PM's visit on April 8.
BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh said BRS was resorting to the arrest as it was riddled with corruption charges and facing electoral reverses.
The situation turned tense outside the Hanumakonda district court as several BRS and BJP supporters gathered there, shouting slogans against each other. Three BJP MLAs - Raghunandan Rao, Eatala Rajender and Raja Singh - were taken into custody when they tried to protest.
Sources said police officials kept moving Sanjay from one place to another all through Wednesday, driving him to Warangal, Vardhannapet and Palakurti before taking him to Hanamkonda. This also led BJP leaders to approach the Telangana HC with a habeas corpus plea which will be heard on Thursday. BJP workers staged protests at various places demanding Sanjay's release. BJP and BRS activists also clashed at several places, leading to arrests.