Andhra Pradesh High Court orders CBI probe, Rs 25L compensation

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the custodial death of Gade Saikrishna, a Vijayawada resident, directing the State government to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation to his mother, Gade Vijayalakshmi, within four weeks.

A division bench comprising Justice Ravi Nath Tilhari and Justice Alapati Giridhar, which pronounced its judgment on Friday, directed the CBI director in New Delhi to forthwith register a regular criminal case into the circumstances leading to Saikrishna’s death. The investigation must be entrusted to a senior CBI officer and completed expeditiously. The court also directed that all officials found responsible for custodial violence be prosecuted in accordance with law.

The bench ordered the director general of police (DGP), Andhra Pradesh, to transmit all records relating to the case to the CBI director through a special messenger within one week. It further directed the State government to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the erring police personnel under the applicable service rules.

The judgment marks a significant development in a case that has raised questions about the circumstances of Saikrishna’s death and the adequacy of the investigation conducted by the State-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT).

According to the SIT chargesheet, the Task Force police took Saikrishna into custody from the Markapuram area on May 6, 2026, in connection with pending non-bailable warrants and subsequently brought him to Krishnalanka Police Station in Vijayawada. The chargesheet stated that he died due to police torture on the night of May 12.

His whereabouts remained a matter of concern for his family, prompting his mother to approach the High Court on June 4 with a habeas corpus petition seeking directions to produce him before the court. The case subsequently developed into a wider legal dispute over police accountability and the scope of the investigation.

A case was registered on June 19 in connection with Saikrishna’s disappearance. The then Krishnalanka Circle Inspector, S S V V Nagaraju, was suspended, arrested and booked in the case. Six other persons, including police constables, were also arrested. The State government later constituted an SIT to investigate the incident.

However, questions persisted over whether the investigation had adequately examined the possible involvement of senior police officials. YSRCP MP Maddila Gurumoorthy separately sought an inquiry into the roles of senior officers, including DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, Vijayawada police commissioner S V Rajasekhara Babu and South Zone ACP K Manasa. The proceedings arising from his private complaint led to a separate legal battle.

On September 23, the Supreme Court raised questions about why Saikrishna had not been produced before a magistrate after his detention, why an FIR was not registered promptly following the complaint about his disappearance, and the unavailability of police station CCTV footage and the whereabouts of his body. The court also directed that relevant records be submitted in a sealed cover and impleaded the CBI in the proceedings.

With the High Court now ordering a CBI investigation, the Central agency will examine the circumstances surrounding Saikrishna’s detention and death, along with the evidence and records relevant to the case.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K Varaprasada Rao

K Varaprasada Rao[email protected]

K Varaprasada Rao is a Senior Reporter with The Hans India, covering the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, Chief Minister's Office (CMO), State Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and political affairs. With over 20 years of experience in journalism in Andhra Pradesh, he has extensively reported on governance, public policy, politics, and socio-economic issues that shape the state's development and influence the country's evolving landscape. He holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. His reporting focuses on finance, industries, irrigation, agriculture, infrastructure, investment, public administration, and political developments, with a particular interest in analysing their long-term economic and social impact.

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