Custodial Death Case – Andhra Pradesh High Court Reserves Order on SIT Plea
Custodial Death Case – The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday reserved its decision on a petition filed by the Special Investigation Team challenging conditions attached to the police custody of Nagaraju, the main accused in the alleged custodial death of 24-year-old Gade Sai Krishna.
Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao heard submissions from the SIT and the opposing side before stating that the order would be delivered on Tuesday. The matter concerns directions issued by a Vijayawada magistrate court while allowing investigators to question Nagaraju in custody until July 10.
Vijayawada Court Set Conditions for Questioning
The II Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Vijayawada had approved the SIT’s request for custodial interrogation but imposed several safeguards. It directed that Nagaraju should be questioned only within Rajamahendravaram Central Jail and only at locations covered by CCTV cameras or other video-recording arrangements.
The magistrate also required the entire questioning process to be recorded continuously through audio and video systems. According to the order, the recordings must remain uninterrupted and cannot be altered or edited at any stage.
Prison Authorities Asked to Preserve Footage
The Vijayawada court further instructed prison officials to retain all CCTV footage captured during the custody period until further directions. It specifically barred the deletion, overwriting or tampering of any footage connected to Nagaraju’s interrogation.
In addition, the court placed responsibility for the accused’s safety on the investigating officer, the Additional Superintendent of Police, SIT personnel and the jail superintendent. The order said they would be accountable both jointly and individually for ensuring that Nagaraju remained safe while in custody.
SIT Says Restrictions Could Affect Investigation
Appearing for the SIT, Public Prosecutor Menda Lakshminarayana argued that the conditions imposed by the magistrate could limit the scope of the investigation. He told the High Court that investigators need flexibility in deciding where and how an accused should be questioned during police custody.
Lakshminarayana submitted that the investigating officer should have the authority to select the place of interrogation, depending on the needs of the case. He referred to Supreme Court decisions that, according to the prosecution, recognise the investigating agency’s discretion in conducting custodial questioning.
Investigators May Need to Visit Relevant Locations
The prosecutor argued that information obtained from Nagaraju during questioning could require the SIT to recover material evidence or verify details at locations linked to the alleged offence. He said investigators may also need to reconstruct the sequence of events by taking the accused to relevant places, if such a step becomes necessary during the inquiry.
The SIT maintained that restricting questioning only to the jail premises could make it difficult to carry out these investigative steps. The prosecution said the purpose of custodial interrogation is not limited to questioning inside a fixed location, particularly when evidence recovery or scene verification may be required.
Proposal Made Over Accused’s Safety
Addressing concerns about Nagaraju’s safety, Lakshminarayana told the court that the accused could be moved to a prison in Guntur after each day’s questioning if needed. The proposal was presented as an alternative arrangement in case authorities considered a transfer necessary for security or administrative reasons.
The High Court is expected to pronounce its order on Tuesday. Its decision will determine whether the safeguards imposed by the Vijayawada court remain in place or whether the SIT receives greater operational flexibility during Nagaraju’s custodial interrogation.