Nampally Court grants regular bail to Allu Arjun in Sandhya Theatre stampede case
Hyderabad: Actor Allu Arjun was granted regular bail today, January 3, 2025, by the Nampally Court in connection with the stampede at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. The court set the bail amount at ₹50,000, along with two sureties.
The tragic incident occurred on December 4, 2024, when a large crowd gathered at the theatre to see Allu Arjun, resulting in overcrowding in the lower balcony. Revathi, a woman in the crowd, suffocated and died, while her son, Sai Tej, was hospitalized. Following the tragedy, Revathi’s husband, Magudampalli Bhaskar, filed a complaint alleging that the actor’s arrival and the theatre’s failure to manage the crowd led to the stampede.
In the aftermath, Chikkadapally Police arrested Allu Arjun along with three other individuals, including M. Sandeep, the co-owner of Sandhya Theatre, and other theatre staff members. The actor, his security personnel, and others involved were named in the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita Act.
Allu Arjun’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate S. Niranjan Reddy, argued that the charges against the actor did not meet the criteria for culpable homicide. The defense emphasized that the FIR did not suggest that the actor had prior knowledge or intent to cause harm. The team also referenced a similar case involving Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, where the court ruled that he was not criminally liable for a stampede at a promotional event.
The prosecution had opposed the bail, arguing that the case was not urgent. However, the defense contended that denying bail would infringe on the actor’s personal liberty. The Telangana High Court, which had granted Allu Arjun interim bail on December 13, 2024, expressed concerns about the actor’s treatment, highlighting that personal liberty should not be compromised due to his celebrity status.
Today, the Nampally Court granted Allu Arjun regular bail, with the condition of ₹50,000 in sureties.
