YSRCP on Friday, 21 August alleged that the fatal hit-and-run case involving Lingamaneni Sanjush, son of Jana Sena Rajya Sabha MP Lingamaneni Ramesh, was deliberately suppressed in Hyderabad due to what it called 'hotline politics' between Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The allegation comes after Cyberabad Police booked Sanjush in connection with the death of Bharathi Mukhi (26), a sales executive killed on 16 August when an Aston Martin she was walking past ran her over near a mall in Madhapur.

What Happened on 16 August

Bharathi Mukhi, a 26-year-old sales executive employed at a store in a mall in the IT corridor of Madhapur, was fatally struck while crossing the road opposite the mall. The vehicle involved was an Aston Martin allegedly driven in a rash and negligent manner. She sustained a severe head injury and was rushed to Apollo Hospital, Jubilee Hills, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

Police Action and FIR Details

Cyberabad Police identified the driver as Lingamaneni Sanjush (21) and took him into custody on the day of the accident. Both drunk-and-drive and drug tests were conducted, and blood samples were dispatched to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis. A case for causing death by a rash or negligent act was registered against Sanjush under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Madhapur Police Station. According to police, the FIR was formally registered five days after the incident.

YSRCP's 'Hotline Politics' Allegation

YSRCP national spokesperson Karthik Yellapragada alleged that the five-day delay in publicising the case and the absence of any political statements pointed to an understanding between the ruling parties in both states. 'It has been five days since the case was registered. Until now, the news has been suppressed, and no one gave any statements, no one discussed it, and they just kept quiet just because of the fact that the hotline between Mr Revanth Reddy and Mr Naidu has been very clear,' Yellapragada said.

Yellapragada drew a pointed comparison with the case of YSRCP leader and former Minister Seediri Appalaraju, alleging that both Appalaraju and his son were imprisoned due to political vendetta, while the present case involving the Jana Sena MP's son was, in his view, shielded from scrutiny. The party demanded justice for the victim's family.

Who Is Lingamaneni Ramesh

Lingamaneni Ramesh is a Rajya Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh, representing the Jana Sena Party headed by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. Jana Sena is a key constituent of the ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh alongside the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The cross-state political dimension — with the accused's father affiliated to a party allied with the AP government, and the incident occurring in Telangana under a Congress administration — has added a charged inter-state political layer to what is, at its core, a road accident fatality case.

What Comes Next

The FSL report on Sanjush's blood samples will be a key determinant of whether additional charges, including those related to driving under the influence, are added. The YSRCP's public pressure is likely to keep the case in the political spotlight, particularly as it draws parallels with the Appalaraju matter. Whether Telangana Police pursue the investigation without interference will be closely watched by opposition parties and civil society groups alike.