Telugu Desam Party leader J.C. Pavan Reddy, along with 15 others, was arrested on Tuesday evening on charge of violating the Disaster Management Act 2005 and trying to take out a rally without obtaining prior permission from the District Collector.
The TDP activists tried to take out a bike rally from the Gulzarpet Office of Mr. Pavan Reddy at around 4 p.m., in protest against the false cases allegedly being foisted on the TDP activists under the YSRCP rule.
Deputy Superintendent of Police G. Veeraraghava Reddy said that the party leaders approached him for permission at 10 a.m., but it was denied as prohibitory orders under the Section 30 of the Police Act was in force.
The police said the TDP leaders were advised to obtain permission from the District Collector as the Disaster Management Act was in force in view of coronavirus pandemic. The TDP leaders tried to take out the rally without obtaining the mandatory permission for which the police arrested 16 people. Later, Mr. Pavan Reddy and the TDP activists were let off after they promised to go home peacefully, the DSP said.