Andhra HC transfers Sai Krishna custodial death case to CBI, orders ₹25 lakh compensation
Synopsis
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has stripped a state SIT of its probe into the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna — who was reportedly tortured and cremated to destroy evidence — and handed the case to the CBI, while ordering ₹25 lakh in compensation to his mother. Former CM Jagan called the verdict 'a slap in the face' of the Chandrababu Naidu government.
Key Takeaways
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on 16 October transferred the Gade Sai Krishna custodial death probe from the state SIT to the CBI .
The court ordered the Andhra Pradesh government to pay ₹25 lakh compensation to the victim's mother, Vijayalakshmi , within four weeks.
Sai Krishna , aged 25 , was picked up by Krishnalanka police in Vijayawada on 6 May and reportedly died on 12 May ; his body was allegedly cremated to destroy evidence.
A chargesheet was filed against Circle Inspector S.S.V.V.
Nagaraju and six others , including head constables, constables, and a home guard.
Jagan Mohan Reddy called the ruling 'a slap in the face' of the Chandrababu Naidu government in a post on X.
The DGP has been directed to transfer all case records directly to the CBI Director , who must assign a senior officer to lead the probe.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday, 16 October ordered the transfer of the investigation into the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), scrapping a state-constituted Special Investigation Team probe. The court also directed the Andhra Pradesh government to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation to Vijayalakshmi, the victim's mother, within four weeks.
What the High Court Ordered
A division bench of the High Court passed the order on a petition filed by Vijayalakshmi, who had expressed a complete lack of faith in the state police's investigation and sought a CBI probe. The court directed that the circumstances leading to Sai Krishna's death be examined, responsible officials identified, and legal prosecution initiated against them. It ordered the CBI to immediately register a case and instructed the CBI Director to assign the investigation to a senior officer within the agency. The Director General of Police (DGP) has been directed to transfer all case records directly to the CBI Director.
Additionally, the High Court issued directives to the state government to initiate strict departmental action against officials found accountable for the custodial death — a signal that administrative consequences must run parallel to the criminal investigation.
How Sai Krishna Died: The Timeline
Sai Krishna, aged 25, was picked up by the Krishnalanka police of the NTR Police Commissionerate in Vijayawada on 6 May in connection with a crime. He was allegedly tortured by Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju and other police personnel. He was subsequently reported missing, with his mother filing a habeas corpus petition before the High Court on 2 June — the petition that first brought the case to public attention.
According to the SIT's investigation, an associate named Gulivindala Suresh confessed that he had seen Sai Krishna at the police station during interrogation and later at a private house at Ranigari Thota, where Sai Krishna reportedly died on 12 May. Suresh told investigators that Nagaraju, along with head constables Ashok Kumar and Nani, allegedly cremated the body to destroy evidence.
Arrests, Chargesheet and the SIT's Work So Far
Following the habeas corpus petition, the state government constituted an SIT headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash. The suspended SHO Nagaraju was arrested on 21 June. Last month, the SIT filed a chargesheet against Nagaraju and six other accused — head constables Ashok Kumar and Nani, constables Babu Rao and Sambaiah, home guard Venkat, and Nagaraju's associate Gulivindala Suresh. Despite this, the High Court found it necessary to entrust the case to a central agency, citing the petition's core argument about the inadequacy of a state-controlled investigation.
Political Reaction: Jagan Targets Chandrababu Government
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy welcomed the High Court's order, calling it a rebuke of the ruling establishment. In a post on X, Jagan said: 'This judgment is a slap in the face of the Chandrababu Naidu government. A heinous crime committed with no sense of remorse.'
Jagan alleged that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu sought to suppress the case through a state-controlled SIT rather than ensuring an independent inquiry. He said: 'We have consistently demanded a CBI inquiry and a thorough investigation into the role of senior police officials, including the DGP and the Vijayawada Commissioner of Police. Rank and political protection must never place anyone above the law.' He further argued that appointing an SIT 'cannot become an excuse to shield those who should face scrutiny.'
What Happens Next
With the CBI now formally mandated to take over, investigators will examine whether the probe so far adequately covered the role of senior officials — a question Jagan and the petitioner have repeatedly raised. The state DGP must transfer all records to the CBI Director, and the government faces a four-week deadline to pay the compensation. The case is among a series of custodial death controversies in Andhra Pradesh that have drawn judicial scrutiny, and the outcome of the CBI probe could set a precedent for accountability at the supervisory police level.
Point of View
But the petitioner and opposition have consistently alleged supervisory complicity reaching up to the Vijayawada Commissioner of Police. The CBI mandate is specifically to answer that question. For Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the ruling is a political liability — it validates the opposition's central charge that the SIT was a shield rather than an investigative tool. The ₹25 lakh compensation order, while welcome, also underlines that the court views the state as institutionally responsible, not merely a bystander to a rogue officer.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Gade Sai Krishna and how did he die?
Gade Sai Krishna was a 25-year-old man picked up by Krishnalanka police in Vijayawada on 6 May in connection with a crime. He allegedly died on 12 May after being tortured in custody; according to a confession recorded by the SIT, his body was subsequently cremated by accused police personnel to destroy evidence.
Why did the Andhra Pradesh High Court transfer the case to the CBI?
The High Court acted on a petition by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijayalakshmi, who expressed a lack of faith in the state police investigation. The court found it necessary to entrust the probe to a central agency to ensure an independent examination of the circumstances and to identify and prosecute all responsible officials.
What compensation has the court ordered for the victim's family?
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to pay ₹25 lakh to Vijayalakshmi, the mother of Gade Sai Krishna, within four weeks of the order dated 16 October.
Who are the accused in the Sai Krishna custodial death case?
The SIT filed a chargesheet against eight individuals: Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju (the suspended SHO), head constables Ashok Kumar and Nani, constables Babu Rao and Sambaiah, home guard Venkat, and Nagaraju's associate Gulivindala Suresh. Nagaraju was arrested on 21 June.
What did former CM Jagan Mohan Reddy say about the High Court order?
Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy welcomed the High Court ruling in a post on X, calling it 'a slap in the face of the Chandrababu Naidu government.' He alleged that the state SIT was used to shield senior officials and demanded that the CBI probe extend to the role of the DGP and the Vijayawada Commissioner of Police.
