HC hands social media activist arrest case to CBI

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday handed over the case of social media activist K Soundar Reddy’s arrest to the CBI, directing the agency to investigate and submit its report by October 13.

During the hearing, Soundar Reddy’s advocate alleged that police had misled the court and argued that only a CBI probe could bring out the truth. Taking note of contradictions in police statements, the bench impleaded the CBI suo motu in the case. On Wednesday, it had already directed the Mangalagiri Magistrate to submit a report on the episode by Friday.

According to the petition, Soundar Reddy was picked up in Tadepalli on September 22 while travelling in a car with his wife. She said five plainclothes policemen intercepted the vehicle, pushed her aside, and took him away, claiming to be from Lalapet police. But when she approached the local station later that evening, officers denied any arrest. She then filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court.

At the first hearing, the government’s counsel maintained that he was not in custody. The bench questioned why no FIR was filed on the wife’s complaint and why the matter was only entered in the General Diary. “When a woman reports that her husband has been taken away, how can the police refuse to register an FIR?” the court asked. The bench further ordered that if Soundar Reddy was produced, he should be brought directly before the High Court and not a lower court.

Despite these directions, police later booked him under the NDPS Act, claiming to have seized 1.5 kg of ganja, and sought his remand before the 6th Additional Munsif Magistrate Court. Their reports carried conflicting timelines, first stating he was arrested at 7:30 pm, then recording 8:30 pm in the remand note. His wife, however, had already lodged a complaint by 6:30 pm, around the time his phone was switched off.

The bench also examined a private telecom company’s cell tower location and call data records of Soundar Reddy. It pulled up the police for violating Supreme Court guidelines mandating uniforms during arrest, for failing to register an FIR on the wife’s complaint, and for filing contradictory reports. The court asked what kind of ‘culture’ was being followed by the police. Citing these irregularities, the High Court transferred the case to the CBI.