Balakrishna celebrates birthday in judicial custody

Hyderabad, June 10 (IANS): Film stars usually celebrate their birthdays with big bashes and Telugu film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna is no exception.

But his 44th birthday Thursday was different.

Charged with trying to murder two film producers, the son of former chief minister and legendary actor late N.T. Rama Rao was in judicial custody and undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The actor, whose recent film "Lakshminarsimha" was a major hit, had planned to celebrate his 44th birthday in a grand manner. A fight on how to celebrate the day is believed to have led to the incident of firing in which the two producers were injured.

As his bail petition was heard in a court here, dozens of film personalities, family friends and fans descended on the Nizam's Institute of

Medical Sciences (NIMS) to meet and wish the actor but returned disappointed as police denied them permission.

Police's argument was that Balakrishna was in judicial custody and no one could meet him.

The actor is charged with trying to murder producer Bellakonda Suresh and his assistant Satyanarayana Chowdary by firing at them at his residence on the night of June three.

The two are undergoing treatment at a corporate hospital.

Balakrishna, who got admitted to a private hospital immediately after the incident, was arrested by police early Sunday and a court remanded him in judicial custody till June 21 the next day.

The court also ordered that he be shifted to a government-run hospital.

Balakrishna, who used his wife's revolver to fire at the two producers, is also charged under the Arms Act and for doing away with evidence.

But the case has witnessed intriguing twists following a u-turn by Suresh and police have tightened security at both the hospitals.

Suresh, who had earlier told a magistrate that the actor opened fire at him, later said he did not know who fired.

Police are also on alert to prevent the actor's fans gathering in the city. Prohibitory orders have been imposed around Ramakrishna Horticultural Studios at Nacharam on the city's outskirts and at Lalitha Kala Thoranam to

prevent the fans from gathering.

Due to the death of Balakrishna's elder brother Saikrishna June four, the family has cancelled the actor's birthday celebrations.

Balakrishna's hopes of avoiding a prison term brightened Wednesday with psychiatrists from the Institute of Mental Health stating that he will have to be under observation for 10 days to enable them to certify his mental condition.

Doctors at NIMS said the actor was suffering from reactive depression and required psychiatric treatment. They warned he might resort to any action and hence needed to be monitored round the clock.

Meanwhile, police have declared Balakrishna's wife Vasundhara as the co-accused in the court. She has been charged under the Indian Penal Code

for trying to conceal evidence. Police have said she was absconding and efforts were being made to arrest her.

Balakrishna's driver S. Kankaiah, who was arrested Wednesday and remanded in judicial custody till June 21, told police that he threw away the actor's blood-stained clothes and a bed sheet used to wipe bloodstains on the

direction of Vasundhara.

The actor's wife also asked Kankaiah to drop the injured Satyanarayan Chowdary at the Apollo Hospital.

Police are yet to question Balakrishna's other brother Ramakrishna who was present at the actor's house at the time of the incident.

Additional Police Commissioner A.K. Khan said Ramakrishna was a witness and a notice had been served on him to appear before police. He is likely to be charged with trying to conceal evidence.

Police have also booked Suresh and Chowdary for causing hurt to Balakrishna. The actor had told police that he fired in self-defence after being

attacked.