Ex-YSRCP MLA’s brother arrested in abetment to suicide case

Tirupati: Former YSRCP legislator Thopudurthi Prakash Reddy’s brother Thopudurthi Rajasekhar Reddy and Jaipal Reddy were arrested by the Anantapur rural police on charges of abetment to suicide on Tuesday.The case pertains to the mysterious death of a 24-year-old man, Thopudurthi Maheshwar Reddy, whose body was found on the railway tracks near Thaticherla close to Anantapur in Jan last year. Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Anantapur rural police by the railway police.The deceased’s father Malli Reddy complained to the police that his son had differences with the Thopudurthi brothers and expressed suspicion of their involvement in his death.According to Anantapur rural DSP Srinivasulu, Maheshwar Reddy’s father stated in his complaint that Thopudurthi Rajasekhar Reddy intimidated him over phone calls and warned Maheshwar Reddy of dire consequences if he did not delete objectionable social media posts made against the Thopudurthi brothers.The Anantapur rural police reportedly stumbled upon relevant audio and video files by recovering the data from the broken mobile phone of Maheshwar Reddy with the help of the forensic dept.Anantapur rural DSP told reporters that both Rajasekhar Reddy and Jaipal Reddy were arrested on charges of abetment to suicide and organised crime. Meanwhile, scores of YSRCP activists led by Thopudurthi Prakash Reddy staged protests, condemning the arrest of Rajasekhar Reddy.Prakash Reddy alleged that his brother was being falsely implicated in the case and that Raptadu TDP MLA Paritala Sunitha and her son Paritala Sriram were influencing the police to mislead the case investigation despite the railway police confirming Maheshwar Reddy’s death to be a case of suicide.Meanwhile, Anantapur rural police produced both the accused Rajasekhar Reddy and Jaipal at the local court and the duo were sent to 14 days’ judicial remand on Tuesday.