YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is facing heavy trolling for supporting the son of former minister Seediri Appala Raju in connection with a recent fatal hit-and-run case in Palasa town of Srikakulam district.
Jagan came down heavily on the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government for arresting Aarav Varma, the 18-year-old son of Appala Raju, who was booked in connection with the death of an elderly shepherd.
He alleged that the boy was being unfairly targeted over an accident that occurred unintentionally.
The police booked Aarav under the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder instead of treating the incident as a routine road accident.
“Such accidents happen routinely. How can the police book an innocent boy under such stringent sections?” Jagan asked.
He argued that road accidents are generally prosecuted under provisions related to rash and negligent driving, which are usually bailable offences.
He questioned the justification for invoking a non-bailable charge such as culpable homicide and alleged that the TDP government was using the case as an act of political vendetta.
According to the police investigation, the incident occurred when a speeding motorcycle allegedly hit Dubba Danayya, an elderly shepherd who was walking along the road.
Instead of helping the injured victim or arranging immediate medical assistance, the rider allegedly fled the scene. Danayya later succumbed to his injuries.
The police initially traced the abandoned motorcycle and began their investigation.
During the early stages of the probe, one Tyadi Siddharth allegedly appeared before the police and claimed that he had been riding the motorcycle and was responsible for the accident.
However, investigators later examined CCTV footage from a nearby petrol station, which reportedly showed that Aarav Varma was riding the motorcycle at the time of the accident.
The police subsequently arrested Siddharth for allegedly providing false evidence and misleading the investigation. Aarav Varma later surrendered before the police.
The police have maintained that the investigation goes beyond the road accident itself.
Investigators are probing allegations that an attempt was made to shield the actual rider by presenting a “dummy driver” before the police, thereby misleading the investigation and tampering with evidence.
A local court refused to grant immediate bail to both Aarav Varma and Tyadi Siddharth and remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.
The prosecution is expected to argue that the combination of alleged reckless driving, fleeing the accident scene without helping the victim and the subsequent attempt to mislead investigators justifies the invocation of more serious criminal charges.
