Reddy is a YSR Congress MP from Kadapa.
By Sreejith Vallikunnu
Mithun Reddy, a YSR Congress MP from the Andhra Pradesh was charged for allegedly slapping an Air India station manager at the Tirupati airport after an argument.
An FIR was registered against Reddy along with 15 other followers of his under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 448 (house-trespass) of IPC, reported The Hindustan Times. The case was registered on a complaint by Rajasekhar, Air India’s station manager at the airport.
The incident took place on Thursday afternoon when Reddy entered into a verbal encounter with the station manager, regarding boarding passes for his relatives for a flight. The MP got angry while the manager declined to issue boarding passes for him and his relatives as the boarding was already closed for the Air India flight to Delhi.
Reddy later “shouted†at the manager before allegedly slapping him, Yerpedu police station sub-inspector Ramakrishnaiah told the media.
As per the DGCA rule, boarding counters for domestic flights close at least 45 minutes before departure time. Reports said that MP and his relatives arrived at the airport about 20 to 25 minutes before the scheduled departure of the flight.
Reacting to the incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said, “We are not trying to say anything. Report is coming in that a person discharging his duty has been manhandled. Now the principle is that a person discharging duty being mishandled does not augur well, particularly if it is by an MP. We don’t want to witch hunt any one, law should be allowed to take its own course.â€
Mithun Reddy represents Rajampet constituency in Kadapa district of the state.