The Nampally court in Hyderabad on Friday granted regular bail to leading Telugu actor Allu Arjun in connection with the stampede at Sandhya Theatre on December 4. The incident, which occurred during the premiere of his latest film Pushpa-2: The Rule, claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The actor was arrested on December 13 in connection with the Sandhya Theatre stampede case and released on December 14 after the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail for four weeks, set to expire on January 10.
The second additional metropolitan sessions court judge, who reserved the verdict on December 30 after hearing arguments on the actor’s regular bail plea, announced the decision on Friday.
Speaking to reporters, the actor’s advocate Ashok Reddy stated, “The judge required Allu Arjun to furnish two sureties, each executing a bond of ₹50,000. He was also instructed to cooperate with the investigation.”
As part of the bail conditions, the actor must appear before the investigating officer at the Chikkadpally police station every Sunday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Additionally, he has been directed not to influence witnesses or make public statements that could impact the investigation.
The incident garnered nationwide attention, with the Chikkadpally police filing a case under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a complaint from the deceased woman’s husband, M. Bhaskar.
In total, 18 individuals, including Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theater management, were booked in connection with the incident. The actor was listed as Accused No. 11 (A-11) in the case and was initially remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the Nampally court. His legal team subsequently moved the Telangana High Court.
On December 24, Hyderabad police interrogated Allu Arjun for nearly four hours regarding the stampede. A team comprising Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Akshansh Yadav, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramesh Kumar, and Senior Inspector Raju Yadav led the questioning.
On December 27, Allu Arjun filed a petition for regular bail in the Nampally court and appeared via video conference. Acting on the court’s directive, the public prosecutor submitted a counter-affidavit on December 30, leading to detailed arguments.
The actor’s lawyer, Niranjan Reddy, argued that Allu Arjun had no involvement in the stampede. He contended that BNS Section 105, invoked in connection with the woman’s death, was not applicable to the actor, as he was neither directly nor indirectly responsible for the incident. Reddy further clarified that Allu Arjun was approximately 30 meters away from the site of the stampede when it occurred.
In light of the interim bail already granted by the High Court, the defense requested regular bail. However, the public prosecutor argued that the stampede occurred due to Allu Arjun’s presence at the venue, asserting that his influence could hinder the investigation if bail were granted.
After considering the arguments, the Nampally court on Friday granted regular bail to Allu Arjun.
