Former Andhra minister Bhuma Akhila Priya arrested for kidnapping three brothers

The Hyderabad police have arrested former Andhra Pradesh minister Bhuma Akhila Priya for her alleged role in the kidnap of three brothers in Hyderabad on Tuesday night.

The Bhuma family, which wields influence in Kurnool district of Rayalaseema, is in a land dispute with former hockey player Praveen Rao's family.

Akhila Priya served as tourism minister in the previous TDP government of Chandrababu Naidu. She was defeated in the 2019 elections.

The Rao's family is said to be related to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

According to the police, a land parcel ad-measuring about 25 acres in Hafeezpet, Hyderabad, was purchased by Rao in 2016. Some issues with the property were resolved with one A V Subba Reddy and Nandyal MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy, Akhila Priya's father who died in 2017.

The land is reportedly worth over Rs 100 crore.

“But Subba Reddy did not execute on his terms of understanding with Nagi Reddy. After his death, his daughters approached Rao for a share in the land. As Rao stated that he has completed the transaction with Subba Reddy and requested her to approach him, she started threatening him,” Anjani Kumar, Hyderabad police commissioner told reporters.

On Tuesday late evening, about 15 men, one of them in police uniform, entered Praveen Rao's home in Bowenpally, Secunderabad, and claiming to be Income Tax officials searched the house by producing fake ID cards and search warrants. They then took Praveen, Naveen and Sunil away in three cars.

The Rao family, which then suspected the involvement of Subba Reddy, Akhila Priya, and her husband Bhargava Ram, and the reason as land dispute, complained to the police.

A few hours later, the abductors set the men free on the city outskirts.

On Wednesday, Akhila Priya was taken into custody from her home in Kukatpally.

“To claim their share in the land, Akhila Priya and her husband hatched a plan and kidnapped Praveen, Naveen and Sunil with the assistance of their henchmen,” the commissioner said.

In 2020, a case was registered against Subba Reddy and others for trespassing, threatening with dire consequences.

Subba Reddy was also arrested later on Wednesday. Akhila Priya has been sent to judicial remand. Her husband Bhargava Ram is on the run.