Lingamaneni Sanjush, who is accused in the fatal road accident that claimed the life of 26-year-old Bharathi Mukhi near Durgam Cheruvu on August 16, allegedly left the hospital after dropping the victim there, according to police.
This version appears to differ from the earlier claim that Sanjush had voluntarily gone to the police station and reported the incident.
Kukatpally DCP Riti Raj told Deccan Chronicle that Sanjush left the hospital after admitting the victim and was later apprehended by police from his residence.
The clarification has raised fresh questions because a WhatsApp message circulated by a PR agency on behalf of Sanjush had reportedly claimed that he went to the police station on his own and informed the authorities about the accident.
However, according to the report, police came to know about the incident after the manager of the store where Bharathi worked lodged a complaint with Madhapur police.
Bharathi Mukhi, a private company employee, was hit by a car near the Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge. She was taken to hospital along with her colleague, but doctors reportedly declared her brought dead.
The case has also drawn attention to the role of traffic police who were present at the accident spot.
A video recorded by a passer-by reportedly showed a traffic sub-inspector and a constable at the scene. Questions have now been raised over whether they immediately informed the law and order police about the accident.
The DCP said police would inquire into any possible lapses on the part of the traffic personnel.
Another issue being discussed is the way the accused was identified in the FIR. According to the report, Madhapur police mentioned only the name “Sanjush” without including his surname or father’s name.
The accident took place on August 16, but the case gained wider public attention only after videos of the incident and the accused surfaced on August 20.
Meanwhile, reports have also suggested that intelligence agencies are gathering information about claims that another NDA MP from Andhra Pradesh arranged a chartered aircraft to bring Bharathi Mukhi’s relatives from Odisha to Hyderabad.
There is no official confirmation yet on this allegation.
Sanjush’s father and Jana Sena Rajya Sabha MP Lingamaneni Ramesh has said that the family will fully cooperate with the police investigation and expressed confidence that the truth will come out through a fair legal process.
A separate social media post also drew attention after Sanjush was seen in a family photograph at the Durga temple in Vijayawada two days after the accident.
Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident, Sanjush’s actions after the incident and the manner in which the case was initially handled.
