Blockbuster Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna's personal assistant (PA) Balaji was arrested on Sunday by the Karnataka Task Force police. According to reports, Balaji was gambling in a bar when the police had launched raids at a number of hotels in and around the Chikkaballapur district nearing the Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka border. Police personnel arrested around 19 persons among whom also included Balaji during their raid at the BNR restaurant at Nagirigera in Gauribidanur taluk in Chikkaballapur district.
Reports say that Balaji was a close associate of Balakrishna till he became an MLA and would cater to his appointments and work schedules. Earlier, the veteran actor's former PA Shekar had landed in legal trouble after he was arrested back in 2019 in Nellore and jailed for three years by the ACB court for the possession of disproportionate assets. The former PA of Balakrishna was also charged with asking bribes for seeking benefits under the government schemes in the Panchayat Raj.
As for Nandamuri Balakrishna, who is also a Telugu Desam Party MLA representing the Hindupur constituency, the actor is fresh from the spectacular success of his Akhanda, which recently completed its 100-day run at the box office, with actors and crew members coming together for the celebrations a few days back. The leading Telugu superstar is currently filming his upcoming NBK 107 under Gopichand Malineni's direction and is being produced by the reputed Mythri Movie Makers banner, with Shruti Hassan and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar playing the female leads, while Duniya Vijay has been cast as the antagonist and Malayalam Lal in a pivotal role.