Vijayawada custodial death: SIT interrogates CI Nagaraju after SC order
Synopsis
The Supreme Court has cleared the way for a full-scale custodial interrogation of a suspended Andhra Pradesh Circle Inspector accused of allegedly torturing and killing a 25-year-old detainee in May. With the victim's body still missing and CCTV hard disks unrecovered, the SIT's seven-day custody window may be the most consequential phase of the investigation yet.
Key Takeaways
SIT took suspended CI S.S.V.V.
Nagaraju into custody on 30 July after the Supreme Court granted seven days of police custody for interrogation.
Nagaraju was transferred from Rajamahendravaram Central Prison to Vijayawada , 160 km from the crime scene.
The apex court held that restricting interrogation to the prison was 'unworkable and unjustified' and allowed questioning at any secure SIT facility in Vijayawada.
Victim Gade Sai Krishna , 25 , was allegedly picked up on 6 May from Markapuram, tortured at Krishna Lanka police station , and killed; his body has not yet been traced.
Nagaraju and four others — two head constables and two constables — have been arrested on charges including wrongful confinement, torture, custodial death, and destruction of evidence.
A case was registered on 19 June under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on a complaint by the victim's mother, Gade Vijaya Lakshmi .
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday, 30 July took suspended Circle Inspector (CI) S.S.V.V. Nagaraju into custody for questioning — acting on a Supreme Court order granting seven days of police custody for interrogation.
How the Custody Transfer Unfolded
The SIT, headed by Inspector General of Police M. Ravi Prakash, transported Nagaraju from Rajamahendravaram Central Prison to Vijayawada after producing him before a local court, as directed by the apex court. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the SIT to conduct interrogation at its designated centre or any other secure facility in Vijayawada — overriding an earlier Andhra Pradesh High Court condition that had restricted questioning to the prison, located 160 km from the crime scene.
What the Supreme Court Said
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta held that confining interrogation to Rajamahendravaram Central Prison was 'unworkable and unjustified' and would hamper the investigation. The court allowed the appeal filed by the Andhra Pradesh state government and relaxed several conditions imposed by the High Court. The SIT had argued before the apex court that the victim's body is yet to be traced and CCTV hard disks are yet to be recovered, making custodial interrogation at relevant locations essential.
The Alleged Crime and Key Accusations
According to the complaint filed by the victim's mother, Gade Vijaya Lakshmi, her son Sai Krishna was picked up from Markapuram on 6 May and shifted to Krishna Lanka police station under the NTR Police Commissionerate. He was allegedly held in illegal custody, subjected to severe torture, and beaten to death. The police allegedly cremated the body and destroyed evidence thereafter, according to her complaint.
Sai Krishna had some cases and non-bailable warrants pending against him at the time of detention. A case was registered on 19 June under Sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on Vijaya Lakshmi's complaint.
Arrests and Charges
The SIT arrested Nagaraju on 23 June on charges of wrongful confinement, torture, custodial death, and destruction of evidence. Subsequently, two head constables and two constables who allegedly assisted Nagaraju were also arrested. Nagaraju remains the main accused in the case.
What Happens Next
With the SIT now empowered to take Nagaraju to relevant locations during the seven-day custody window, investigators are expected to focus on tracing the victim's body and recovering the missing CCTV hard disks. The outcome of this interrogation phase is likely to determine the direction of the trial and whether further arrests follow.
Point of View
And the apex court was right to call it out. What this case also exposes is a pattern: alleged illegal detention, destruction of evidence, and a body that has not been found weeks after the death. If the SIT cannot recover the body or the CCTV disks within this seven-day window, the evidentiary foundation of the trial will be dangerously thin. Accountability in custodial death cases in India has historically been slow and incomplete; this case will test whether the new BNS provisions change that calculus.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vijayawada custodial death case?
The case involves the alleged torture and killing of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna while in police custody at Krishna Lanka police station in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, in May 2025. His mother alleges he was illegally detained, severely tortured, and beaten to death, after which police allegedly cremated the body and destroyed evidence.
Why did the Supreme Court intervene in the interrogation?
The Supreme Court intervened after the Andhra Pradesh state government appealed against High Court conditions that restricted the SIT's interrogation of accused CI Nagaraju to Rajamahendravaram Central Prison, 160 km from the crime scene. The apex court held this was unworkable and would hamper the investigation, particularly since the victim's body and CCTV hard disks are still missing.
Who is the main accused in the case?
Suspended Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju is the main accused. He was arrested by the SIT on 23 June on charges of wrongful confinement, torture, custodial death, and destruction of evidence. Four constables who allegedly assisted him have also been arrested.
What charges have been filed in the 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 filed by the victim's mother Gade Vijaya Lakshmi.
What is the SIT expected to focus on during interrogation?
The SIT has told the Supreme Court that the victim's body is yet to be traced and CCTV hard disks are yet to be recovered. During the seven-day custody window, investigators are expected to take Nagaraju to relevant locations in Vijayawada to help locate these critical pieces of evidence.
