Security – Suspended Police Inspector Sent to Judicial Custody in Sai Krishna Custodial Death Investigation
Security – A suspended police officer has been remanded to judicial custody after investigators presented findings indicating that the missing rowdy-sheeter died while under police custody, marking a significant step in the ongoing probe.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday produced suspended Krishna Lanka Circle Inspector SSVV Nagaraju before the Second Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Vijayawada in connection with the disappearance of 24-year-old rowdy-sheeter Gade Sai Krishna. According to the remand report submitted before the court, investigators concluded that Sai Krishna died after sustaining injuries while he was in police custody at the Krishna Lanka Police Station. After considering submissions from both the prosecution and the defense, the court ordered Nagaraju to remain in judicial custody for 14 days until July 8. He was later transferred to Rajamahendravaram Central Jail.
State-Level Investigation Intensifies
The Andhra Pradesh government had earlier constituted a Special Investigation Team led by Inspector General-rank officer M. Ravi Prakash to examine the circumstances surrounding Sai Krishna’s disappearance. As part of its inquiry, the SIT questioned more than 20 police personnel, including Commissioner’s Task Force Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police K. Latha Kumari, inspectors attached to the task force, administrative staff, and officers serving at the Krishna Lanka Police Station.
Investigators have been collecting witness statements and examining official records to reconstruct the sequence of events from the time Sai Krishna was taken into custody until his disappearance.
Custody Timeline Under Scrutiny
The SIT’s report stated that Sai Krishna was apprehended in Markapur on May 6 and brought to the Krishna Lanka Police Station on the same day. However, officials alleged that he was never produced before a magistrate as required under legal procedure. Instead, investigators believe he remained in unlawful custody, raising serious questions about compliance with custodial protocols.
The report further noted that after his detention, Sai Krishna’s whereabouts remained unknown, leading investigators to examine whether evidence was intentionally concealed.
CCTV Footage and Witness Statements Raise Questions
One of the key observations in the investigation relates to surveillance footage from the police station. According to the SIT, CCTV recordings covering the period from May 1 to June 1 were unavailable. Investigators suspect that the footage may have been deliberately deleted in an attempt to remove evidence connected to the case.
The report also referred to statements made by a sub-inspector posted at the police station, who reportedly confirmed seeing Sai Krishna inside the premises between May 6 and May 8. This testimony has become an important part of the investigation into the events that followed his detention.
Family Testimony Supports Investigation
Sai Krishna’s mother, Vijayalakshmi, also recorded her statement before the SIT. She reportedly informed investigators that she had seen her son lying unconscious inside the police station during the period he was allegedly held in custody.
According to the remand report, the suspended Circle Inspector had requested assistance from the Commissioner’s Task Force to execute two pending non-bailable warrants against Sai Krishna before he was brought from Markapur and handed over to the Krishna Lanka Police Station. The report added that both the statement of Sai Krishna’s mother and the testimony of the police sub-inspector indicated that he had suffered serious injuries while in custody.
Investigators suspect that efforts may have been made to conceal what they describe as a custodial death by disposing of the body. Despite the ongoing investigation, Sai Krishna’s body has not yet been recovered, and the SIT continues its efforts to establish the complete sequence of events.