Bihar cop fails to turn up for questioning by police in ex-YSRCP MP custodial torture case

Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Bihar cadre M Sunil Kumar Naik failed to turn up before the Andhra Pradesh police on Monday in connection with a case related to alleged custodial torture of former YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP and current deputy speaker of state assembly K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju in May 2021, officials familiar with the matter said.

On Saturday, the Prakasam district police issued a notice to Naik to appear before superintendent of police AR Damodar at 11 am on Monday and record his statement with regard to alleged custodial torture of Raju.

“We sent notices to Naik through fax and also on WhatsApp, summoning him for questioning and recording his statement. But he did not turn up nor did he send any message on whether or when he will appear for questioning,” a Prakasam district police official said, adding that fresh notices would be served on the IPS officer again.

A 2005-batch IPS officer, Naik was brought on deputation to Andhra Pradesh by the previous YSRCP government on December 4, 2019, for three years and was posted as DIG of CID. After the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government was formed in June 2024, Naik returned to Bihar and is currently posted as IG-cum-director cum state fire officer of the Bihar fire services.

Raju, who won from Narsapuram Lok Sabha seat in 2019 on a YSRCP ticket, later turned rebel and started criticising then chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Before 2024 elections, he defected to the TDP and won the assembly elections from Undi assembly constituency in West Godavari district. He was later elected as deputy speaker of the assembly.

In July 2024, the Nagarapalem police in Guntur district registered a case based on a complaint by Raju alleging that he was subjected to custodial torture after he was arrested by the CID police in a sedition case in May 2021.

The police registered an FIR against Jagan Mohan Reddy, former intelligence chief PSR Anjaneyulu, former CID chief PV Sunil Kumar, retired additional superintendent of police Vijay Paul and the then superintendent of Guntur government Hospital Dr Neelam Prabhavati.

Besides, the police also interrogated and arrested Kamepalli Tulasi Babu, a legal assistant and close associate of Sunil Kumar. Currently, Vijay Pal is out on conditional bail, while Dr Prabhavati was granted relief from arrest by the court. However, she has already been questioned by the police in connection with the case. Tulasi Babu is also serving judicial remand.

The police has registered a case under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), 166 (public servant disobeying law to cause injury to someone), 167 (framing incorrect document to cause damage), 197 (issuance of false certificates), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing injuries with weapons), 465 (forgery) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Raju also made a statement before the police that Sunil Kumar Naik, who was then DIG of the CID, was also present when the alleged custodial torture took place. Accordingly, the police issued summons to Naik to record his statement.