The Andhra Pradesh CID arrested former minister and TDP leader Ayyanna Patrudu and his son Rajesh from their residence at Narsipatnam in the Anakapalli district during early hours on Thursday for allegedly submitting forged documents in the court after high drama which included scaling the boundary wall by the CID personnel and getting involved in heated exchange with the family.

However, TDP leaders have dubbed the arrest as an act of political vendetta, as Patrudu is known to be one of the staunchest critics of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSRCP and for his inflammatory speeches. An angry TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu condemned the arrest and has asked his supporters to stage protests across the state. TDP has called a bandh in Narsipatnam as well.

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The former minister was arrested following complaints of submission of forged documents in the High Court raised by the Irrigation Department whose land allegedly was encroached upon by him to construct a boundary wall. In June, the municipal authorities had used bulldozers to demolish the compound wall allegedly built on the encroached land. The two had allegedly constructed the residence by blocking Ravanapalli irrigation canal.

Around 200 police personnel including those from CID reached Ayyanna Patrudu’s house at 2:30 am. Family members alleged that the police had come with wire cutters and forced their entry into the house and pasted an arrest notice at the entrance gate. Meanwhile, the supporters of Ayyanna Patrudu arrived and raised slogans against his arrest.

The TDP leader was charged under various sections of IPC for forgery, including some non-bailable sections. His wife Padmavati alleged he was not even allowed to change his clothes and warned that if anything happened to him or her son, the government will be held responsible.

An angry TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu asked: “Is Jagan a Chief Minister or a demon?” He alleged that Ayyanna Patrudu has been harassed ever since YS Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed office. “The arrest of Ayyanna Patrudu is aimed at stifling the voice of backward classes as he was questioning the YSRCP leaders for looting North Andhra.”

Earlier, Patrudu’s elder son Vijay had been booked by the CID for allegedly posting fake news against the Chief Minister’s wife YS Bharathi but he secured a stay from the court. The YSRCP has hit back posing several questions to the TDP and wondered why the government should stand idle when its land is being encroached upon.