MLA in molestation row held, then let off

MAHABUBABAD

: TRS party MLA B

Shankar Nayak

was on Thursday briefly arrested by the police and subsequently released on personal bail in the case relating to his alleged

misbehaviour

on Wednesday with district collector Preeti Meena.

Based on a complaint from the collector on Wednesday, the Mahabubabad police during the early hours of Thursday registered a case against the MLA under Sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his her duty), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 9 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.

Soon after he was informed of the case being registered, Nayak made his way to the police station where he surrendered and was granted personal bail.

Following her complaint, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao intervened and admonished Shankar Nayak and deployed deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari, minister A Chandulal and MP A Sitaram Naik to meet with the collector and inform her that such incidents will never recur. He also ordered Shankar Nayak to offer an unconditional apology.

On Thursday, Nayak said he did not intentionally touch the collector. “I do not understand why a case has been filed against me even after I apologised to the collector,“ he said.

He also said that allegations were being levelled at him for some time now by “some persons in the ruling party who are out to malign me. The CM knows what I am and I am confident the truth will come out and party will do justice for me,“ he said. District superintendent of police Nandyala Koti Reddy said the MLA was taken into custody at 9am.As per SC guidelines, Police served a notice on him about the case registered and relea sed him on personal bond. “Thorruru deputy superintendent of police Rajaratnam has been appointed as enquiry officer. The videos of the incident will be sent to the

Forensic Science Laboratory

and chargesheet filed after all the inquiries,“ Koti Reddy said. It was also learnt that Nayak was attempting to seek an appointment with the CM.

Babus want new body to stop incidents
The called Telangana IAS Officers' Association on Thursday for the setting up of an incidents institutional mechanism so that like the one involving fellow officer and Mahbubabad collector Preeti Meena are not repeated. In a resolution passed at an emergency meeting of the association, the members condemned the behaviour of the TRS MLA and called for a body to be constituted so that such kind of incidents do not recur. “We decided to set up such a body at the earliest. We are also working out as to how to help our colleague Preeti Meena,“ Telangana IAS Officers' Association member Ajay Mishra told TOI.