Vijayawada Custodial Death: CBI Takes Over Sai Krishna Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation into the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and begun collecting forensic evidence as part of its inquiry. The agency took charge of the case from the state police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Friday, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

The CBI’s Hyderabad unit has registered a fresh First Information Report (FIR) and inspected Krishnalanka police station, where Sai Krishna was allegedly detained and interrogated. The investigation follows an October 16 order by the Andhra Pradesh High Court directing the central agency to investigate the case and calling for action against police personnel found responsible for custodial violence.

The alleged death has raised serious questions about Sai Krishna’s detention, his whereabouts after being brought to the police station and the circumstances in which investigators say he was tortured and killed. The SIT had previously filed a chargesheet naming individuals accused of involvement in the incident. The CBI will now examine that material while conducting its own investigation.

CBI Team Inspects Krishnalanka Police Station

A team of eight CBI officials, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Narendra Dev, visited Krishnalanka police station on Friday evening. The team examined the second floor of the building, where Sai Krishna was reportedly kept in custody, according to people familiar with the investigation.

The probe is being supervised by CBI Deputy Inspector General Shiva Subramani. On Saturday, the agency began collecting technical evidence at the police station with assistance from experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Hyderabad, a senior police official aware of the matter said.

The forensic exercise is part of the agency’s effort to examine the location associated with Sai Krishna’s alleged detention and gather evidence relevant to the circumstances of his disappearance and death. The source material did not specify which devices, records or physical evidence were examined, or whether the forensic team had reached any conclusions.

On Friday, the CBI also took possession of the records and evidence collected by the state police SIT. These materials included witness statements, relevant documents and remand reports relating to the accused.

The agency submitted a copy of its newly registered FIR to the court of the Fourth Additional Judicial Magistrate of First Class, in-charge, on Friday. It also filed a memorandum in a sealed cover.

Andhra Pradesh High Court Orders CBI Investigation

The transfer of the case to the CBI follows an October 16 order by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed on June 4 by Sai Krishna’s mother, Gade Vijayalakshmi, who sought directions for authorities to produce her son before the court.

A habeas corpus petition asks a court to examine the legality of a person’s detention and, where appropriate, direct that the person be produced before it. Vijayalakshmi approached the High Court after her son’s whereabouts became unknown following his reported detention by the police.

In its order, the High Court directed the CBI director to register a regular criminal case immediately and entrust the investigation to a senior officer. It also ordered disciplinary proceedings against police personnel found to have committed wrongdoing and directed that officials found responsible for custodial violence be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The court further directed the Andhra Pradesh government to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation to Vijayalakshmi within four weeks.

The order places responsibility on the authorities to investigate the allegations and pursue action against those found accountable. The CBI’s investigation is expected to examine the existing evidence and establish the circumstances surrounding Sai Krishna’s alleged detention, torture and death.

CBI Seeks Criminal Case Details and Permission for Searches

As part of its investigation, the CBI has sought information from the Crime Control Section (CCS) about the number of criminal cases in which Sai Krishna was an accused and the number of pending non-bailable warrants against him.

The agency is also expected to question Sai Krishna’s mother about these matters, according to the information available. The inquiry into pending warrants is relevant to the stated circumstances of his apprehension, but it does not by itself establish whether his subsequent detention or treatment was lawful.

The CBI also approached the court for permission to search the residences of two accused: Gulivindala Suresh Kumar, listed as accused number four (A4), and Venkataraju, listed as accused number seven (A7).

Suresh Kumar has been described as a friend and close associate of suspended inspector SSVV Nagaraju. The court is learnt to have granted permission for the searches. The available information did not specify what investigators expected to recover or whether the searches had been completed.

These steps form part of the agency’s broader effort to review the case records, examine the existing evidence and investigate the roles attributed to the people named in the earlier police investigation.

What the SIT Chargesheet Says About Sai Krishna’s Detention

The state police SIT had already filed a chargesheet before the local court, identifying the alleged roles of 13 people in the case. In addition to police personnel allegedly involved in the incident, the SIT named Suresh Kumar and subsequently added three more individuals as accused during the investigation.

According to the chargesheet, Sai Krishna was apprehended in Markapuram at around 3 am on May 6 in connection with pending non-bailable warrants. He was then brought to Krishnalanka police station in Vijayawada at approximately 7 am.

The chargesheet states that Sai Krishna was not produced before a magistrate and that his whereabouts subsequently became unknown. These details form part of the prosecution’s account and will be examined alongside the evidence available to the CBI.

The SIT’s investigation further concluded that Sai Krishna was subjected to custodial torture and was beaten to death by Krishnalanka police personnel at an abandoned building in Vijayawada on May 12. According to the chargesheet, his body was cremated on the same night.

These are allegations and findings recorded in the SIT chargesheet, not a final judicial determination of the guilt of every person named in the case. The CBI will examine the existing chargesheet and evidence while independently investigating the allegations, a senior police official said.

How the Case Progressed From a Missing Person Petition to a CBI Probe

The case developed over several weeks after Sai Krishna’s reported apprehension in early May. His mother later approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court after his whereabouts became unknown.

• May 6: According to the SIT chargesheet, Sai Krishna was apprehended at Markapuram around 3 am in connection with pending non-bailable warrants and brought to Krishnalanka police station at approximately 7 am.
• May 12: The SIT chargesheet alleges that Sai Krishna was tortured and beaten to death at an abandoned building in Vijayawada and that his body was cremated that night.
• June 4: Gade Vijayalakshmi filed a habeas corpus petition before the Andhra Pradesh High Court, seeking directions for authorities to produce her son before the court.
• June 19: Vijayawada police registered a case in connection with the incident, according to the supplied account.
• June 23: The state government’s SIT, led by Inspector General Ravi Prakash, arrested suspended inspector Nagaraju and several police constables.
• September 19: The SIT filed a chargesheet setting out its findings and identifying the alleged roles of individuals in the case.
• October 16: The Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered a CBI Investigation, directed disciplinary and legal action against officials found responsible, and ordered ₹25 lakh compensation for Sai Krishna’s mother within four weeks.
• Friday: The CBI took over the investigation, registered a fresh FIR, inspected the police station and obtained the SIT’s case records and evidence.
• Saturday: CBI officials began collecting technical evidence with assistance from CFSL Hyderabad experts.

The sequence of events shows how the investigation moved from the state police to a central agency following the High Court’s intervention. The CBI is now responsible for independently examining the allegations and evidence in accordance with the court’s directions.

CBI to Examine Existing Evidence and Accused Persons’ Roles

The transfer of the case does not mean that the earlier investigation or chargesheet will automatically be discarded. The CBI is expected to assess the evidence already collected by the SIT, including witness statements, documents and remand reports, while pursuing further investigative steps.

The agency will need to examine the timeline of Sai Krishna’s apprehension, his reported detention at Krishnalanka police station, the subsequent account of his disappearance and the allegations concerning the location and circumstances of his death.

The investigation will also examine the roles attributed to police personnel and other accused individuals. The CBI’s requests for information from the Crime Control Section and permission to search the residences of two accused indicate that the inquiry extends beyond the inspection of the police station itself.

The source material does not disclose whether the CBI has formally questioned particular police personnel, recorded new statements from the accused or made any fresh arrests since taking over the case. It confirms that the agency has begun collecting technical evidence and reviewing the material handed over by the SIT.

Why the High Court’s Directions Matter

The High Court’s intervention is central to the current stage of the case. By directing a CBI investigation, the court placed the inquiry under a central agency and instructed it to register a regular criminal case and assign the matter to a senior officer.

The compensation direction is a separate part of the order. The state government has been instructed to pay ₹25 lakh to Vijayalakshmi within four weeks. The court also directed disciplinary proceedings and prosecution, in accordance with the law, against officials found responsible for custodial violence.

The directions do not, by themselves, establish the criminal liability of every accused person. That determination will depend on the evidence, the investigative process and the applicable judicial proceedings.

For the family, the CBI investigation represents the next stage in seeking answers about what happened to Sai Krishna after his apprehension. For the authorities, the inquiry will require a detailed examination of the evidence and the conduct of the people allegedly involved.

What Happens Next in the Vijayawada Custodial Death Case?

The immediate focus of the CBI investigation is on collecting technical and forensic evidence, examining the SIT’s case records and following up on information relevant to the alleged detention and death.

The agency is also expected to examine the existing chargesheet and investigate the allegations against the 13 people identified by the SIT. The extent to which the CBI’s findings confirm, expand or differ from the earlier investigation remains to be established.

The available information does not indicate a final conclusion by the CBI, a new chargesheet from the agency or a judicial verdict on the allegations. The investigation remains an ongoing process.

The case has moved to the CBI following the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s order, with the agency beginning its examination of the police station and the evidence collected by the state SIT. The central questions remain the circumstances of Sai Krishna’s detention, the alleged custodial violence and the responsibility of those found to have played a role in his death.

Key Takeaways

• The CBI’s Hyderabad unit took over the investigation into the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna from the Andhra Pradesh police SIT on Friday and registered a fresh FIR.
• CBI officials inspected Krishnalanka police station and began collecting technical evidence with assistance from CFSL Hyderabad experts.
• The Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered a CBI probe on October 16, directed the state government to pay ₹25 lakh compensation to Sai Krishna’s mother within four weeks and ordered action against officials found responsible for custodial violence.
• The SIT chargesheet alleges that Sai Krishna was tortured and beaten to death on May 12 and that his body was cremated that night; the CBI is now independently examining the evidence and the roles attributed to the accused.