Allu Arjun Released from Jail After Overnight Detention

Popular Tollywood actor Allu Arjun emerged from Chanchalguda Central Jail here on Saturday morning after spending a night inside the prison in the case related to a stampede at a theatre during the premier show of 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'.

The actor, who was granted interim bail by Telangana High Court on Friday evening an hour after a lower court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days, had to spend the night in the jail due to delay in the prison authorities receiving bail orders.

The national award-winning actor was released from the rear gate of the jail. He was sent in an escort vehicle.

The actor was driven straight to the office of Geeta Arts. He would reach his residence in Jubilee Hills later.

Police have made tight security arrangements around his residence.

Earlier, there had been suspense over his release on Friday night.

Jail authorities said that they received the bail order in the late night and since the prisoners can't be released during night hours as per the prison manual, the actor would be released next morning.
Allu Arjun spent the night in Manjeera block as a special class status given by the Nampally Court that remanded him on Friday.

A large number of fans of the actor remained outside the jail till late in the night waiting for his release.

Allu Arjun's lawyers submitted a personal bond of Rs 50,000 to Jail Superintendent as per the direction of the High Court.

While granting interim bail for four weeks, the High Court had directed police to continue the investigation.

It also directed the actor to cooperate in the investigation.

A woman died and her son was critically injured during the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premier show attended by Allu Arjun on December 4.

Police had registered a case under Sections 105 (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 118(1) (Voluntarily causing hurt) r/w 3(5) BNS against Allu Arjun, his security team and the management of the theatre.

Interim bail capped the day-long dramatic developments that began on Friday morning with the actor's arrest from his residence in Jubilee Hills.

Bail orders came in the evening, barely an hour after a city court sent Allu Arjun to judicial custody for 14 days.

The High Court gave interim bail for four weeks during the hearing of the quash petition filed by the actor.

The pan-India actor received the respite even as the police were shifting him to Chanchalguda Jail from Nampally Criminal Court Complex.

Interim bail was also granted to three members of the theatre management, who were arrested earlier in the case. The Public Prosecutor raised an objection to the interim bail. The court adjourned further hearing to December 21.

During the quashing petition hearing, Allu Arjun's counsel argued that BNS Section 105 does not apply to him as he had nothing to do with the stampede.

S. Niranjan Reddy argued that the actor can't be held responsible for the stampede. He also informed the court that the theatre management and producer had informed the police in advance about Allu Arjun's visit.

Niranjan Reddy quoted the example of 2017 stampede at Vadodara Railway Station when actor Shah Rukh Khan was traveling from Mumbai to Delhi by train to promote his film 'Raees'.

The Gujarat High Court had quashed the complaint filed against Shah Rukh Khan for the stampede, which had killed one person and injured several others.

The Supreme Court later upheld the High Court order.

Public Prosecutor said the court that despite being asked by the police not to attend due to a huge gathering Allu Arjun still went to the theatre.

The court was told that the actor reached the theatre in a rally. The police, which arrested the national award-winning actor from his residence in Hyderabad, produced him before a magistrate at the Nampally Criminal Court complex. He was named accused number 11 in the case.

Earlier, police recorded the statement of the actor at Chikkadpally Police Station. He was then taken to Gandhi Hospital for a medical check-up.