The High Court of Telangana granted interim bail to actor Allu Arjun in connection with a tragic incident that occurred during the premiere screening of his movie Pushpa 2. The case, registered as CRL. P. No. 15270 of 2024, involved allegations against the actor regarding a stampede at Sandhya 70 MM Theatre, Hyderabad, which resulted in the death of one individual and injuries to another. The Court analyzed the circumstances and concluded that there was no prima facie material to establish criminal intent on the part of the petitioner, emphasizing the importance of upholding justice while safeguarding individual liberty.

FACTS OF THE CASE

The case arose from an unfortunate incident on December 2, 2024, during the premiere screening of Pushpa 2. Allu Arjun, a prominent figure in the Indian film industry, attended the screening at Sandhya 70 MM Theatre in Hyderabad, where an uncontrollable surge of fans led to overcrowding and suffocation. The stampede caused the death of the wife of Respondent No. 2, Mogudampally Baskar, and injuries to his child. The petitioner, along with the movie’s production team, had notified the theatre management and local police about the potential need for security due to the anticipated crowd. However, the arrangements proved inadequate to manage the overwhelming attendance.

An FIR (No. 376 of 2024) was subsequently registered against Allu Arjun under Sections 105, 118(1), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The prosecution alleged that the actor’s presence at the venue contributed to the incident and argued against granting interim bail, citing the gravity of the tragedy. The Public Prosecutor, Sri Palle Nageswar Rao, contended that the petitioner acted negligently by attending the screening without obtaining adequate prior permission from the police. He further argued that the petitioner should be held accountable for the events leading to the fatal incident and that granting interim bail would be unwarranted.

ARGUMENTS-PETITIONER

On the other hand, Senior Counsel for the petitioner, Sri S. Niranjan Reddy, argued that attributing criminal liability to the petitioner was baseless and constituted an abuse of legal process. He submitted that Allu Arjun had no criminal intent (mens rea) and was present at the venue purely in a professional capacity. The tragic event, he contended, was due to failures in security arrangements by the theatre management and insufficient deployment of police personnel. The Senior Counsel relied on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Arnab Manoranjan Goswami v. State of Maharashtra, emphasizing that the judiciary must remain vigilant in protecting citizens from the weaponization of state machinery.

COURT'S OBSERVATIONS

The Court, after reviewing the remand case diary and the records, noted that both the theatre management and the film production team had sought prior permission for security arrangements. Letters addressed to the Assistant Commissioner of Police by the theatre and production teams on December 2 and December 4, 2024, respectively, demonstrated that necessary precautions had been considered. The Court also recognized that the petitioner’s presence at the venue was limited to fulfilling his professional commitments and could not be directly linked to the tragic consequences of the stampede.

In its order, the Court granted interim bail to Allu Arjun for a period of four weeks, subject to conditions. The petitioner was required to execute a personal bond of ₹50,000 before the Jail Superintendent and cooperate with the investigation. He was also directed not to interfere with the ongoing investigation or tamper with witnesses. Furthermore, the Court directed the investigating officer to proceed with the inquiry without obstruction and instructed the Commissioner of Police and the Jail Superintendent to ensure compliance with the order.

Cause Title: Allu Arjun V/S The state of Telangana

Case No: CRL. P. NO: 15270 OF 2024

Date: December-13-2024

Bench: Justice Juvvadi Sitidevi

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