'Trying to give murder-accused MLC default-bail': SC slams Andhra Police
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Friday slammed the Andhra Pradesh police for their sluggish investigation into the 2022 murder case involving YSRCP MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar. The court accused the police of "hobnobbing with the accused" and trying to give him default bail. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was hearing an appeal filed by Bhaskar in 2022 seeking bail. The Supreme Court had granted him interim relief in December 2022. He has been out since.
Investigation delay
What action taken against cops involved in flawed probe: CJI
The Supreme Court expressed its displeasure over the slow pace of the investigation, which remains incomplete after nearly four years. The bench questioned what action had been taken against police officers involved in the flawed probe. "What authority does the DGP have to continue if he can't control the Superintendent of Police or the IO?" CJI Kant asked during the proceedings.
Regime change
Investigation took serious turn after 2024 elections, says AP
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Andhra Pradesh, said the investigation was taken seriously after the 2024 elections. He hinted it was derailed due to the accused's influence in the previous regime. Bhaskar is accused of murdering his Dalit driver, Veedhi Subramanyam, in May 2022. At the hearing on Friday, the victim's family alleged that the chargesheet was filed on day 92 to ensure Bhaskar got default bail. However, the high court refused default bail, and the matter reached the SC.
Trial deadlines
Supreme Court issues strict timelines for trial's completion
The Supreme Court has now issued strict timelines for the trial's completion. It directed that further investigation be completed by March 31, charges to be framed by April 18, prosecution evidence to be completed by August 31 and trial to be concluded by November 30, 2026. The court also asked Andhra Pradesh High Court's Chief Justice to assign a senior judicial officer for weekly monitoring of the case progress.
Case
What the case is about
The then-Kakinada Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ravindranath Babu told the media that MLC had confessed to the crime. According to DSP Ravindranath, the MLC had asked Veedhi to repay the ₹20,000 he had borrowed from him. The fight escalated when Bhaskar pushed the driver, who sustained a head injury. "The head injury resulted in Veedhi's death. To present it as an accident, Veedhi was taken to a dumping yard and the MLC inflicted more injuries on him," Ravindranath said.