Fri Dec 13 07:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Telugu Actor Allu Arjun Granted Interim Bail in Theatre Stampede Case
**Hyderabad, India** – Telugu film actor Allu Arjun has been granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court in connection with a stampede incident at Sandhya Theater. Arjun was arrested earlier this week following the incident, which resulted in one death and injuries to others.
The High Court’s decision came after Arjun filed a quash petition challenging the charges against him. While the Public Prosecutor (PP) argued that an urgent hearing was unnecessary and requested the hearing be postponed until Monday, the court ultimately granted Arjun a four-week interim bail. The PP also contended that Arjun’s lawyers hadn’t requested interim bail in the quash petition and that providing bail would send the wrong message, especially given the severity of the incident. The PP highlighted that the deceased was a woman, and her son remains on a ventilator.
Arjun’s defense argued that he had informed the theater management and police of his planned visit, but insufficient security was provided despite the anticipated large crowd. They also pointed to previous court decisions in similar cases, citing instances where actors were granted relief following similar crowd-related incidents. The defense attorney cited the example of Shahrukh Khan’s case where a stampede occurred during a promotional event and he was granted bail.
The High Court, considering these arguments and citing precedents involving Arnab Goswami and a Maharashtra government case, granted Arjun interim bail with a personal bond of ₹50,000. The court cautioned Arjun against influencing the investigation or witnesses and adjourned the next hearing for two weeks, advising him to approach the Nampally court for regular bail. The same bail conditions were extended to the theater owners, who are also accused in the case. The court explicitly rejected the PP’s objection to granting interim bail within the quash petition itself.
First Piper 