SIT traces Sai Krishna’s custody trail from Markapuram to Vijayawada

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna and the subsequent destruction of evidence, is piecing together the sequence of events from his detention in Markapuram on May 5 to his arrival at the Krishnalanka police station in Vijayawada the following day.

As part of the investigation, SIT chief and Inspector General of Police M. Ravi Prakash, along with officers Adnan Nayeem Asmi, Amit Bardar and L. Sudhakar, questioned when Sai Krishna was taken into custody, who escorted him to Vijayawada and how he was handled after being brought to the police station.

The SIT questioned Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force) K. Latha Kumari, the Task Force Sub-Inspector, two Task Force constables, Krishnalanka police constable Babu Rao, who reportedly took Sai Krishna into custody in Markapuram, sentry constables S. Pavan Kumar and T. Himaja, and police station section head L. Nagaraju. Statements of other Sub-Inspectors and personnel attached to the Krishnalanka police station were also recorded.

Investigators seized documents from the Krishnalanka police station and the Swargapuri burial ground as part of their efforts to establish the chain of events and verify the handling of the case after Sai Krishna was brought to Vijayawada.

The SIT also questioned senior officers of the NTR Police Commissionerate, including South Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police K. Manasa, over the alleged failure to monitor routine police station procedures such as registration of cases, arrests, lock-up records, medical examination of accused persons, timely production before courts and execution of non-bailable warrants.

Meanwhile, the NTR Police Commissionerate is preparing its response to the habeas corpus petition filed by Sai Krishna’s mother, G. Vijaya Lakshmi. The petition is scheduled to come up for hearing in the High Court on Monday.

In a related development, two suspended head constables of the Krishnalanka police station, J. Nani and Ashok, who have allegedly been absconding since the arrest of Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, remain under the scanner. Investigators are also questioning a few more suspects over the alleged custodial torture and disposal of the body.

According to the investigation, a Task Force Sub-Inspector, two Task Force constables and a Krishnalanka police constable allegedly picked up Sai Krishna (25), against whom two non-bailable warrants were pending, from Markapuram in the early hours of May 5. He was reportedly handed over to the Krishnalanka police station on May 6 after an acknowledgement was obtained from the sentry constable.

In her complaint, Sai Krishna’s mother alleged that she witnessed police personnel torturing her son inside the police station. She further alleged that then Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju threatened her when she pleaded for her son’s release and later illegally detained, tortured and caused her son’s custodial death before destroying the evidence.