Former Andhra Pradesh minister and ruling Congress legislator Shankar Rao was admitted to hospital here after he was detained by police for questioning in a land grabbing case.

Rao was picked up by police from his residence Thursday evening amid high drama. He was shifted to the government-run Gandhi Hospital after he complained of chest pain at Neredmet police station in Secunderabad.

As Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, several ministers and Dalit organisations strongly condemned the manner in which Rao was picked up, police officials clarified that he was not arrested and was free to go anywhere from the hospital.

Rao’s family members Thursday night shifted him to a corporate hospital. Doctors Friday morning said the condition of 65-year-old Rao was stable but he would remain under observation for 24 hours. According to them, Rao might have suffered brain damage due to hypertension and high blood pressure.

Rao’s father-in-law and former union minister G. Venkatswamy, revolutionary balladeer Gaddar and several others rushed to the hospital. They condemned the police action. Venkatswamy said police misbehaved with Rao and pulled him into a vehicle, not allowing him to even change his clothes.