The Supreme Court on Wednesday took a serious view of the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna in Vijayawada and questioned the Andhra Pradesh government over the handling of the case. The court also indicated that it could directly monitor the investigation.
A Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding Sai Krishna’s disappearance after he was taken into police custody, as well as allegations relating to the destruction of evidence.
The court reportedly questioned why Sai Krishna was not produced before a magistrate, why an FIR was not registered immediately despite a complaint about his disappearance, and why CCTV footage from the police station was allegedly deleted.
The Supreme Court also sought to examine the conduct of senior police officials and the progress of the investigation.
According to reports, the court stayed proceedings before the Andhra Pradesh High Court and directed that relevant case records be submitted to it in a sealed cover. It also issued notices to the respondents and decided to directly monitor further developments in the case.
The matter assumes significance as the Andhra Pradesh High Court had already reserved its orders on a habeas corpus petition filed by Sai Krishna’s mother and on an application seeking a CBI investigation into the case.
Sai Krishna was apprehended at Markapur in the early hours of May 6, 2026, in connection with pending warrants and was subsequently brought to Krishna Lanka police station in Vijayawada.
Investigators allege that he was kept in illegal custody and was not produced before a magistrate. The Special Investigation Team later informed the court that Sai Krishna was allegedly beaten by police personnel and subsequently died at an abandoned building in Ranigari Thota.
The SIT has also alleged that his body was secretly taken to a crematorium and cremated in an attempt to destroy evidence.
The SIT recently filed a chargesheet in the case, naming several accused, including suspended former Krishna Lanka Circle Inspector S S V V Nagaraju.
During the Supreme Court proceedings, the Andhra Pradesh government informed the Bench about the various petitions pending before the High Court and the status of the SIT investigation.
The case has drawn considerable attention because of the allegations of illegal detention, custodial torture, death and destruction of evidence, and the Supreme Court’s intervention has now placed the investigation under closer judicial scrutiny.
