In a surprise twist, interim protection against arrest has been granted to erstwhile Andhra Pradesh minister Vidadala Rajini by the High Court in the context of an alleged high-profile extortion case. The court ordered police officials to serve her a Section 41A CrPC notice, under which the authorities can summon an accused for investigation without arrest in order to provide due legal process. The same instruction was also extended to IPS officer Joshua, who has been named as a co-accused in the case.
Meanwhile, Rajini’s brother-in-law, Gopi, who was reportedly a key player in the alleged extortion network, was recently arrested. His anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by the court, citing that it had become redundant due to his custody status.
The scandal has its roots in the time after the YSRCP government was established, when Vidadala Rajini was an MLA. As per the police complaint, Rajini and her relatives are said to have run an extortion racket against local shops in her constituency.
Several traders claimed they were threatened and forced to pay large sums of money under pressure. Gopi is believed to have played a crucial role in executing this alleged scheme. The group reportedly operated under the name Balaji Stone Crushers, targeting gravel business operators and demanding around ₹50 crore. When the traders resisted, the accused allegedly used their influence with local law enforcement, including officer Joshua, to initiate raids and impose hefty fines on the defaulters.
Eventually, a settlement amount of ₹2 crore was allegedly extracted from the victims to drop further action, as per the complaint.
Following a change in the state government, several victims who had remained silent out of fear came forward and lodged formal complaints. This prompted a police investigation, leading to arrests and court proceedings.
While Vidadala Rajini has managed to avoid arrest for now, her legal troubles are far from over. Multiple cases remain pending against her, and further investigation is underway.
