Amaravti, Oct 16: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered……Intro a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged custodial death of Gade Saikrishna.
In another significant direction, the court also ordered the state government to pay Rs. 25 lakh in compensation to his mother, Vijayalakshmi, within four weeks.
The verdict, marks a major development in the case that has raised serious questions about police accountability and the investigation conducted by the state government’s Appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The case concerns Saikrishna’s disappearance after he was allegedly taken into police custody in May 2026. According to the SIT chargesheet, he died due to police torture on the night of May 12. However, questions remain about the circumstances of his death, the missing CCTV footage and the whereabouts of his body.
Why Did the High Court Order a CBI Investigation?
The High Court was hearing petitions seeking an independent investigation into the Gade Saikrishna case. The case was initially investigated by an SIT constituted by the Andhra Pradesh government.
However, concerns were raised over the scope of the SIT investigation, particularly its failure to adequately examine the alleged role of senior police officials.
Questions were also raised about why the police commissioner under whose control the Task Force operated was not named in the SIT chargesheet.
The CBI is now expected to examine the existing investigation records, the FIR, statements of the accused and other available evidence. It will also investigate the circumstances surrounding Saikrishna’s detention, the events at the police station, the missing CCTV footage and the whereabouts of his body.
Gade Saikrishna Case: What Happened?
1. Saikrishna Taken into Police Custody in May
Gade Saikrishna, a 25-year-old man from Vijayawada, was reportedly taken into custody by the Vijayawada Police Commissioners Task Force (CTF) on May 6, 2026.
According to the SIT chargesheet, the police took him into custody from the Markapuram area based on pending non-bailable warrants. He was subsequently brought to the Krishna Lanka Police Station in Vijayawada.
His family later raised concerns after his whereabouts became unknown.
According to the SIT chargesheet, Saikrishna died due to police torture on the night of May 12. The circumstances surrounding his death remain a key part of the case.
2. Mother Files Habeas Corpus Petition
On June 4, 2026, Saikrishna’s mother, Gade Vijayalakshmi, approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court by filing a habeas corpus petition.
She requested the court to direct the authorities to produce her son before the court. The High Court ordered that he be produced by June 15.
The case raised serious questions about the circumstances of his detention and the failure to establish his whereabouts.
The alleged absence of clear information about his fate became a central issue in the legal proceedings.
3. Police Inspector Suspended and Arrested
On June 19, a case was registered in connection with Saikrishna’s disappearance.
The then Circle Inspector of Krishna Lanka Police Station, S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, was suspended and arrested. Six other people, including police constables, were also arrested in connection with the case.
The Andhra Pradesh government subsequently formed a Special Investigation Team to investigate the incident.
The SIT examined police station records, statements from the personnel concerned and other evidence before filing its chargesheet.
However, the investigation faced criticism over questions that remained unanswered, including the possible involvement of senior police officials.
4. Missing CCTV Footage Raises Questions
The availability of CCTV footage became another major issue in the case.
Reports indicated that CCTV footage from the police station’s digital video recorder was unavailable for the period between May 1 and June 1, 2026.
The absence of the footage raised questions about what happened inside the police station during the period under investigation.
The whereabouts of Saikrishna’s body also remained a significant concern.
These issues are expected to form part of the CBI investigation as it examines the evidence and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and alleged custodial death.
YSRCP MP Seeks Inquiry into Senior Police Officials
While the SIT investigation was underway, YSRCP MP Maddila Gurumoorthy sought a separate inquiry into the alleged role of senior police officials.
He filed a private complaint before a court in Vijayawada, seeking an investigation into the roles of State Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta, Vijayawada Police Commissioner S.V. Rajasekhara Babu, South Zone ACP K. Manasa and other officials.
The lower court ordered the recording of statements from the complainant and witnesses.
ACP K. Manasa challenged that order in the High Court, arguing that the SIT was already investigating the case and raising legal objections to the continuation of the private complaint proceedings.
On August 13, the High Court issued interim orders staying further proceedings in the Vijayawada court.
Gurumoorthy subsequently approached the Supreme Court, challenging the halt to the inquiry into the alleged involvement of senior police officers.
Supreme Court Raises Questions over the Investigation
On September 23, 2026, the Supreme Court heard Gurumoorthy’s petition. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta raised concerns over several aspects of the case.
The bench questioned why Saikrishna had not been produced before a magistrate after being taken into custody.
It also sought explanations for the delay in registering an FIR after a complaint about his disappearance.
The court raised concerns about the missing CCTV footage and the whereabouts of Saikrishna’s body.
Although the state government maintained that the SIT investigation had been completed and the accused had been arrested, the petitioner’s counsel argued that questions about the involvement of senior police officials remained unanswered.
The Supreme Court directed that the relevant case records be submitted in a sealed cover. It also imposed interim restrictions on related High Court proceedings and added the CBI as a respondent in the petition.
On September 24, the Supreme Court adjourned the next hearing to October 26, indicating that further decisions would depend on the High Court’s ruling.
CBI to Examine the Role of Police Officials
With the High Court now ordering a CBI investigation, the central agency is expected to examine the evidence collected by the SIT and investigate unanswered questions surrounding the case.
The investigation is expected to focus on several key issues:
- The circumstances under which Saikrishna was taken into police custody.
- The events that took place at Krishna Lanka Police Station.
- Why he was not produced before a magistrate after his detention.
- The delay in registering an FIR following his reported disappearance.
- The absence of CCTV footage from the police station.
- The whereabouts of Saikrishna’s body and the evidence relating to his death or cremation.
- The alleged role of senior police officials and possible lapses in the investigation.
The CBI investigation is expected to examine these issues independently and establish the facts based on the available evidence.
Rs. 25 Lakh Compensation for Saikrishna’s Mother
Along with ordering the CBI probe, the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the state government to pay Rs. 25 lakh in compensation to Gade Vijayalakshmi within four weeks.
The direction provides immediate financial relief to the family while the investigation into the case continues.
The compensation order and the transfer of the investigation to the CBI are significant developments in a case that has drawn attention to police accountability, custodial safeguards and the need for a transparent investigation.
