Gutta Mohan Reddy, a former Telangana minister, was booked by Chityala police in Nalgonda district for threatening construction workers with a revolver over the widening of Pillaipilli canal in Nalgonda district.
The former MLA brandished his gun after construction workers started working on the construction of Pillaipalli canal on land acquired from him in Urumadla village of Chityala Mandal in Nalgonda district. The land was acquired by the government for the construction of the canal, and the compensation was believed to have been credited to the former minister. A video of Mohan Reddy brandishing his gun and shouting at people has surfaced online.
This incident is said to have occurred on Sunday evening when the local contractor, construction worker, the site engineer and the JCB driver had reached the spot in Nalgonda district. The former minister then used his licensed revolver to drive them away. They left the site and approached the police to file a complaint.
The Chityala police told TNM that the former Minister has been booked under Section 30 of the Arms Act (Punishment for contravention of license or rule) and Sections 503 (criminal intimidation), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341(punishment for wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code. He has also been booked under Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code, which is cognizable and non-bailable. Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code says that whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with simple or rigorous imprisonment for a term extending up to 2 years, or with fine, or with both; if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt.
The Central government had started the process to make amendments to the Arms Act, 1959. Last October, the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked all the states to file their responses on the amendments needed in various sections of the Arms Act 1959. "It was much needed," a senior MHA official had said.
A few days ago, a former Army man from Hyderabad’s Narsingi, identified as Naga Mallesh, fired into the air reportedly because he was annoyed over loud music coming from a nearby Ganesh pandal. He was booked under section 307 (Attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and for unauthorised usage of weapon in a public place.