Former Andhra minister and YSRCP stalwart Ambati Rambabu’s woes multiply with a 14-day judicial custody extension to February 22 in a Guntur case accusing him of threatening police during an unsanctioned rally. He remains jailed from a previous defamation suit against CM Chandrababu Naidu.
Monday’s court proceedings in Guntur saw Rambabu, ferried from Rajamundri jail, denied relief as the magistrate prioritized public safety concerns. The November 2024 episode involved Rambabu and aides flouting rally norms, escalating to direct police provocations amid traffic gridlock.
Pattabhipuram police invoked BNS sections targeting assaults on duty personnel, intimidation, restraint, and unlawful mobs. Officials decry the rally’s fallout on civilians, noting Rambabu’s history of similar infractions in party-led stirs.
Contextualizing the surge: January 31 arrest followed Rambabu’s alleged Naidu slanders, marked by residence siege and TDP vandalism. Further imputations include banner disputes and duty interference under BNS 126(2), 132.
Insult-laden rhetoric drew additional BNS 196(1), 352, 351(2), 292, 3(5) charges. Swift court action led to Rajamundri incarceration. Political analysts view this as TDP consolidating power post-victory, curbing YSRCP firebrands.
Rambabu’s camp labels it persecution, rallying supporters for solidarity marches. As dual cases entangle him, Andhra’s opposition landscape shifts, potentially galvanizing or fragmenting YSRCP bases. Judicial outcomes will reverberate statewide.