Hyderabad: Telugu film industry actor Allu Arjun failed to personally appear before a city court Monday in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case.
The actor, currently in Mumbai for a film shoot, requested the court to grant an exemption from personal appearance in the case and informed it, through his counsel, that he would attend the proceedings virtually.
The Nampally Criminal Court advised the actor to file a memo and adjourned the hearing to July 6.
Allu Arjun’s counsel told the court that the actor would join the next hearing through virtual mode.
All other accused in the case appeared before the court Monday, in response to the summons issued last week.
Allu Arjun was also directed to personally appear before the court.
The actor is accused number 11 (A11) in the case relating to the stampede at the Sandhya Theatre December 4, 2024.
A woman was killed, and her son was critically injured in the stampede during the premiere show of Pushpa 2: The Rule.
The police had named a total of 23 accused in the case.
Individuals in the management of the theatre are named as the first 10 accused in the case. Eight bouncers of the actor are also listed as accused
The trial in the case is expected to begin after all the accused personally appear before the judge.
December 4, 2024, Allu Arjun attended a special screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule at the Sandhya Theatre. The victim, M Revathi, had attended the premiere with her husband and their children. On the actor’s arrival, the crowd went crazy, leading to a stampede in the theatre. The woman died in the stampede while her son suffered serious injuries.
The police booked the theatre management, Allu Arjun and his team for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Allu Arjun was arrested December 13, 2024, in the case. He was produced before the Nampally court, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
His lawyers approached the High Court, which granted him interim bail the same day. He was released from jail the next day.
Later, the Nampally Court granted him regular bail.
As part of the investigation into the stampede, the police interrogated Allu Arjun December 24. He was questioned for three hours at Chikkadpally Police Station based on a 10-minute video prepared by the police by compiling CCTV footage of the incident.
Police had filed a charge sheet against 23 accused in December last year.