The situation took a dramatic turn at the gates of the Rajahmundry jail. While his daughter and party workers were distributing sweets and celebrating his anticipated release—following his “no one can stop me” tweet—police presented a Prisoner on Transit (PT) warrant related to the YSR Sankranti Lucky Draw case. This case dates back to the previous YSRCP regime in Sattenapalli, where Rambabu is accused of organizing a massive lottery and collecting funds from the public without the necessary legal permissions.
The court’s decision to grant a 14-day remand in the lottery case has effectively stalled Rambabu’s exit from prison. Legal experts suggest that even if he manages to secure bail in this latest case, his release depends on whether other pending cases or PT warrants are brought forward by the police. The YSRCP leadership has reacted strongly to these developments, labeling the back-to-back cases as a form of “political vendetta” by the current government to keep their senior leaders incarcerated.
In contrast, leaders from the ruling coalition maintain that the law is simply taking its course and that those who engaged in illegal activities during their tenure must face accountability. The irony of the situation was noted by many, as Rambabu had gestured the “Thaggede Le” (I won’t back down) sign at the court earlier in the day, only to be remanded back to custody shortly after. For now, the YSRCP stalwart remains in the Rajahmundry Central Jail as his legal team prepares for the next round of bail petitions.
