In a big relief to senior TDP leader and former minister Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to him against whom a case under the Nirbhaya Act was booked.

Narsipatnam municipal Commissioner Krishnaveni filed a case against Ayyanna Patrudu under Sections 354-A (4), 500, 504, 5050 (1) (B), 505 (2), 506 and 509 under the Nirbhaya Act.

On his part, Ayyanna Patrudu moved the Andhra Pradesh High Court contending that the Jagan government was acting out of political vendetta by foisting false cases against him. He had urged the High Court to dismiss the cases filed against him.

On Monday, hearing the petition, the High Court granted anticipatory bail to Ayyanna Patrudu.

Narsipatnam municipal Commissioner Krishnaveni filed a case against Ayyanna Patrudu when the TDP leader questioned why his grandfather Latcha Patrudu’s photo was removed from the municipal office. However, Krishnaveni accused Ayyanna Patrudu of making objectionable comments against her and filed a police case against him.

Earlier, Dr Sudhakar Rao was arrested after he met Ayyanna Patrudu. Dr Sudhakar Rao’s mother Kaveri Bai had pointed out that his son was beaten, dragged on the streets and sent to an asylum only because he had met Ayyanna Patrudu.

TDP president and former CM N Chandrababu Naidu termed the arrests of the party leaders as politically motivated. Naidu had also complained to Governor Bishwabhushan Harichandan that the arrests and foisting of cases against party leaders Atchannaidu, Ayanna Patrudu, Prabhakar Reddy and his son Asmith Reddy were undemocratic and acts of political vengeance.