Judicial custody of Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu and 74 others on Monday was extended by seven days and the Maharashtra government defiantly reiterated its stand to not allow the TDP leader to visit the Babhali barrage. Mr Naidu once again refused to avail of bail until he got a chance to visit the Babhali barrage.
Judicial magistrate Deepak Matha conducted the proceedings in the ITI building premises in Dharmabad where Mr Naidu and other TDP leaders have been kept after the arrest. The Maharashtra police has proposed the release of the arrested politician on bail, provided Mr Naidu and his followers are ready to return to Andhra Pradesh. However, the leaders rejected the condition after which their custody was extended till July 26.
Police sources said that the leaders are likely to be shifted to Nashik, Aurangabad and Ahmednagar jails. However, as of Monday night, they were still lodged at the ITI building. “We are awaiting the court’s warrant. The leaders can be shifted to the jails as per the directions given by the magistrate in the magistrate in the warrant,” a senior police officer from Nanded said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal ruled out any possibility of allowing Mr Naidu to visit the Babhali barrage.
A high-level committee meeting was held at the Mantralaya to discuss the law and order situation in Nanded.