
Trouble is mounting for suspended Circle Inspector Nagaraju in connection with the missing case of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna.
Task Force police have begun interrogating Nagaraju, who was earlier suspended over the case. Since Sunday morning, police have cordoned off his house at Singh Nagar, indicating that the investigation has entered a crucial stage.
The Special Investigation Team formed to probe the case has already recorded statements from several people, collected important evidence and examined CCTV footage. Sources say Nagaraju is likely to be arrested after the interrogation.
Sai Krishna was allegedly taken into custody by Krishnalanka CI Nagaraju on May 9. Since then, he has been missing.
His mother Vijayalakshmi later filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court. The court directed the NTR Commissionerate police to produce Sai Krishna by June 29.
Sai Krishna’s family has made serious allegations, claiming that he died due to severe custodial torture and that his body was secretly cremated by police to destroy evidence.
Taking the matter seriously, the state government constituted an SIT to investigate the allegations of illegal custody, custodial torture and murder against Nagaraju.
Considering the sensitivity of the case, the DGP proposed that the SIT should include officers from outside the NTR Police Commissionerate limits. Accordingly, Chief Secretary Sai Prasad issued orders forming the SIT.
IG Law and Order M Ravi Prakash has been appointed as the SIT chief. Sitaramaraju district SP Amit Bardar and Bapatla district Additional SP L Sudhakar have been made members of the team.
The SIT has also been given powers to seek additional staff, technical support and forensic assistance from other departments, if required. The government has directed all departments and forensic organisations to cooperate with the SIT for early completion of the probe.
Over the last two days, Task Force teams have been questioning staff members of the Krishnalanka police station. Their statements are being recorded under the supervision of ACP Daiva Prasad.
Following allegations that Sai Krishna’s body was cremated at a crematorium, the Task Force team also questioned the staff there.
On Saturday, Patamata CI Pawan Kishore visited Swargapuri in Krishnalanka. He examined the computer records and inspected the log book to collect details of bodies cremated on specific dates.
The mobile phones of crematorium operator Basha and burial ground guard Siva were seized, and both were interrogated.
Officials also recorded details of last rites performed for unclaimed bodies between May 23 and May 26.
It is learnt that the bodies of two unidentified persons, aged around 45 and 50, were shifted to Swargapuri on the night of May 23. The bodies were reportedly picked up from the bus station and Kalimatha temple areas.
When the crematorium staff initially objected to keeping the bodies on the premises, they were placed in freezers following the recommendation of the division sanitary inspector. The bodies were later cremated on the afternoon of May 24.
With the probe now focusing on Nagaraju, police station staff and crematorium records, the Sai Krishna missing case appears to be moving towards a major breakthrough.