Bihar IPS Officer Interrogated by Andhra Police in Torture Case of Ex-MP
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Amaravati, March 5 (NationPress) On Thursday, Bihar cadre IPS officer M. Sunil Kumar Naik appeared before the Andhra Pradesh Police to undergo interrogation regarding the alleged custodial torture of K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, a former Member of Parliament and current Deputy Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
Naik, currently serving as the Director of Fire Services in Bihar, arrived at the Central Crime Station in Guntur at 10 a.m.
The investigation was led by A. R. Damodar, the Superintendent of Police from Vizianagaram, who is responsible for the case. The questioning is expected to last until 5 p.m.
His appearance was mandated by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which provided him with interim protection while reviewing his anticipatory bail petition on Monday, instructing him to meet with the investigating officer by March 5.
Initially, Andhra Pradesh Police detained Naik in Patna on February 23 due to his failure to respond to multiple summons. However, a court in Patna denied the police's request for a transit warrant.
Subsequently, a court in Guntur issued an arrest warrant against him on February 26.
Naik sought anticipatory bail from the High Court, with his legal team asserting that the allegations were politically motivated.
During proceedings, the court noted that Naik's name was not included in the FIR, emphasizing that the petitioner had merely arrested Raju in Hyderabad and transferred him to Guntur, denying any involvement in the alleged custodial torture.
Justice Venkata Jyothirmayee Prathapa ordered Naik to appear before the investigating officer on or before March 5 and to comply with future summons. Further hearings in the matter have been scheduled for March 9.
Raju was reportedly subjected to torture while in police custody in 2021 when the YSR Congress Party was in power.
At that time, Raju was apprehended for allegedly making disparaging remarks against the then Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Raju, elected to the Lok Sabha on a YSRCP ticket from Narsapuram in 2019, later became a rebel.
He was arrested on May 14, 2021, at his Hyderabad residence for his criticisms of the government and for supposedly inciting communal unrest within the state.
Recently, Raju switched allegiance to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ahead of the 2024 elections and was subsequently elected to the Assembly, where the TDP-led coalition appointed him as Deputy Speaker.
At the time of the alleged incident, Naik served as the DIG of the A.P. Crime Investigation Department (CID) but returned to Bihar in 2024.
In July 2024, Guntur Police filed an FIR against Jagan Mohan Reddy, three IPS officers, and others based on Raju's complaint, alleging an attempted murder during his police custody.