YSRCP ex-MLA, who smashed EVM during polls, arrested

Amaravati, June 26 (IANS) Former YSR Congress Party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, who had allegedly vandalised electronic voting machines during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh last month, was arrested on Wednesday.

The former MLA from the Macherla constituency in Palnadu district was arrested after the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition.

He was taken into custody in Narasaraopet town and was shifted to the office of Palnadu district Superintendent of Police.

The police took action soon after the High Court pronounced its orders on the bail petition of Ramakrishna Reddy, who had smashed an EVM and a VVPAT at a polling booth in the Macherla constituency on May 13 during the polling for simultaneous elections.

After the video of the incident surfaced on May 21, the Election Commission of India had asked police to file a case against the candidate and arrest him.

Ramakrishna Reddy was booked by police under sections 143, 147, 448, 427, 353, 452 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 131 and 135 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, 1984.

The YSRCP leader was also booked in three other cases relating to post-poll violence in Macherla. However, the High Court on May 23 had granted anticipatory bail to him and had directed police not to take any action till June 5. The High Court had allowed him to visit the counting centre on June 4.

Later, the Supreme Court had barred him from entering the counting centre.

The High Court had extended temporary relief for Ramakrishna Reddy till June 20.