Andhra Pradesh HC allows SIT to interrogate suspended SHO in Vijayawada custodial death case
Synopsis
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has cleared the SIT to question suspended SHO Nagaraju in police custody for eight days — overriding a lower court's jail-only restriction — in the alleged custodial killing of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna, whose family says he was beaten to death and cremated after being picked up by police on 6 May. Deleted CCTV footage and five arrests have already deepened the case.
Key Takeaways
Andhra Pradesh High Court on 7 July allowed the SIT to question suspended SHO S.S.V.V.
Nagaraju in police custody for eight days from 9 July .
Gade Sai Krishna , 25 , was picked up at Markapuram on 6 May and allegedly beaten to death in the lockup of Krishna Lanka Police Station , Vijayawada.
The SIT told the court that CCTV footage at the police station was deliberately deleted .
A case under BNS sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1) and 238 was registered on 19 June on a complaint by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi .
Besides Nagaraju, the SIT has arrested two head constables and two constables in connection with the case.
The SIT is headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M.
Ravi Prakash and is probing wrongful confinement, murder, and destruction of evidence.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday, 7 July permitted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to interrogate S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, the suspended Circle Inspector and Station House Officer (SHO) of Krishna Lanka Police Station in Vijayawada, in police custody in connection with the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna. Justice Kuncham Maheswara Rao allowed the SIT to question Nagaraju for eight days beginning 9 July.
Background: What Happened to Gade Sai Krishna
Sai Krishna, who had certain cases and non-bailable warrants pending against him, was picked up by police at Markapuram on 6 May and transferred to Krishna Lanka Police Station. He subsequently disappeared while in what the SIT has described as illegal custody. His family alleged that he was beaten to death in the lockup and his body was disposed of at an electric crematorium. His mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, filed a formal complaint on 19 June, following which a case was registered under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1) and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Why the High Court Had to Step In
The Second Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Vijayawada had, on 2 July, granted police custody of Nagaraju until 10 July — but restricted the SIT to questioning him inside Rajamahendravaram Central Jail, where he was lodged. The lower court had also mandated continuous, unedited audio-video recording of all interrogation sessions, directed prison authorities to preserve all CCTV footage from the custody period, and prohibited any deletion, overwriting, or tampering.
The SIT moved the High Court arguing these conditions hampered the investigation. Public Prosecutor Menda Lakshminarayana contended that investigators may need to collect physical evidence and reconstruct the crime scene based on information obtained during custodial interrogation — steps that are not feasible inside a jail premises.
Key Developments in the SIT Probe
The SIT, headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash, is probing allegations of wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence. Nagaraju was arrested on 23 June; a city court sent him to judicial remand the following day until 8 July. The SIT informed the court that Sai Krishna died of injuries inflicted in custody and that CCTV footage at the police station was deliberately deleted — a detail that adds an evidence-tampering dimension to the case. In addition to Nagaraju, the SIT has arrested two head constables and two constables allegedly involved in the incident.
What Comes Next
With the High Court's order now clearing the path for eight days of police-custody interrogation from 9 July, the SIT is expected to focus on reconstructing the chain of events between Sai Krishna's detention on 6 May and his disappearance, and on tracing what happened to the deleted CCTV footage. The case has drawn scrutiny over custodial accountability in Andhra Pradesh, and any further findings could prompt additional arrests or widen the scope of the probe.
Point of View
Jail-based questioning — to protect accused persons from further abuse, while SITs argue those same safeguards obstruct evidence collection. Both concerns are legitimate, which is precisely why the judiciary, not the police, must continue to referee the terms. What makes the Sai Krishna case especially troubling is the alleged deletion of CCTV footage — a pattern seen in other custodial death cases nationally — suggesting institutional cover-up, not individual misconduct. Five arrests are a start, but accountability will ultimately depend on whether the chain of command above Nagaraju is also examined. Andhra Pradesh has a chance to set a higher bar here.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gade Sai Krishna and what happened to him?
Gade Sai Krishna was a 25-year-old man who was picked up by police at Markapuram on 6 May and transferred to Krishna Lanka Police Station in Vijayawada. He subsequently disappeared; his family alleges he was beaten to death in the lockup and his body was disposed of at an electric crematorium.
Why did the Andhra Pradesh High Court intervene in the SIT's custody request?
A lower court had restricted the SIT to questioning suspended SHO Nagaraju inside Rajamahendravaram Central Jail, where he was lodged. The SIT approached the High Court arguing those conditions hampered the investigation, particularly the need to collect physical evidence and reconstruct the crime scene — steps not feasible inside jail premises.
What charges have been filed in the Vijayawada custodial death case?
A case was registered on 19 June under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1) and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on a complaint by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi. The charges cover wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence.
Who has been arrested so far in the Gade Sai Krishna custodial death case?
The SIT has arrested five people: suspended Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, the SHO of Krishna Lanka Police Station, along with two head constables and two constables who allegedly assisted him. Nagaraju was arrested on 23 June.
What is the significance of the deleted CCTV footage in this case?
The SIT informed the court that CCTV footage at Krishna Lanka Police Station was deliberately deleted, adding an evidence-tampering dimension to the case. The lower court had separately directed Rajamahendravaram Central Jail authorities to preserve all custody-period CCTV footage and prohibited any deletion or overwriting.
