YSRCP suspends legislator arrested for ex-driver's murder

Amaravati, May 25: Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday suspended Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Anantha Uday Bhaskar from the party in the wake of his arrest for the murder of his former driver.

According to a statement from the party office, the MLC has been suspended on the direction of Chief Minister and party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The suspension came two days after police arrested Anantha Babu, as the MLC is popularly known. The same day he was produced before a magistrate in Kakinada, who sent him to 14 days judicial custody.

The legislator told police in his statement that he is responsible for the death of driver Subrahmanyam. He pushed the deceased during an argument resulting in his fall and death on the night of May 19.

The MLC also told police inflicted injuries on Subrahmanyam's body to present it as a death in a road accident. However, the driver's family refused to believe his version and lodged a complaint with the police.

As per the statement given by the MLC before the police, Subrahmanyam was in an inebriated condition and he pulled him up for not giving up bad habits.

The MLC who had taken Subrahmanyam near the former's house thrashed him for continuing the bad habits. This angered the driver, who questioned him. Enraged over the driver questioning him, the MLC held him by the neck and pushed. Subrahmanyam fell down and sustained head injuries. When the driver tried to hit back, the MLC pushed him again and this time the driver received grievous head injury.

The MLC told police that he gave water to Subrahmanyam but a few minutes after taking a sip, he was unresponsive. The legislator then thought of showing the incident as a road accident. He carried the body in the car to a dumping yard, where he inflicted injuries on the body with sticks.

The MLC later carried the body to Subrahmanyam's house and told his family members that he died in a road accident. After seeing the nature of injuries on the body, they refused to believe his version. There was an argument between them and the MLC subsequently left the place, leaving behind the body in his car.