Allu Arjun’s 18-hour ordeal: Arrest, bail, night on prison floor

Telugu actor Allu Arjun was released from Hyderabad’s Chanchalguda Central Jail on Saturday morning after being granted bail by the Telangana High Court. He was arrested on Friday in connection with a women’s death after a stampede occurred during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2’ on December 4.

Here are 10 updates on Allu Arjun’s arrest

– Allu Arjun was been arrested on Friday morning by the city police and was taken to Chikkadpally police station, following which he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody by a local court.

– The investigations pertains to a December 4 incident where a 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was hospitalised in a stampede-like situation during the crowded premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The rule’. Thousands of fans gathered at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre to see the actor.

– In response to the arrest, the Telangana High Court directed Allu Arjun to cooperate with the investigation, noting that an actor cannot be punished merely for their status, but should still be held accountable if involved in negligence. After being remanded to judicial custody, the actor’s legal team approached the Telangana High Court for relief, leading to the granting of a four-week interim bail.

– But as the bail order did not reach the prison authorities on time, he had to spend the night in jail. Allu Arjun, prisoner number 7697, slept on the floor of the jail during his overnight stay, reports India Today.

– In his first remarks after walking out of jail on Saturday morning, Allu Arjun said that he is a law-abiding citizen and will cooperate with the authorities. “I am a law-abiding citizen and will cooperate. I would like to once again express my condolences to the family. It was an unfortunate incident,” the actor said.

– The high-profile case has stirred a political debate, with BJP and BRS leaders criticising the way the actor was treated, while Congress representatives emphasised that the law applies equally to all, regardless of celebrity status.

– Allu Arjun’s arrest was preceded by tense moments when police arrived at his residence, and visuals showed the actor reportedly arguing with officers over their approach to his bedroom.

– The deceased woman’s family initially filed a complaint, leading to the registration of a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theatre management under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

– The actor’s legal team argued that the theatre management had informed the police about the event and requested security measures, and that there was no deliberate negligence on Allu Arjun’s part.

– In an unexpected twist, the deceased woman’s husband expressed no fault with Allu Arjun and indicated his willingness to withdraw the case against the actor, despite the tragic incident.