Vijayawada: The mysterious disappearance of Vijayawada rowdy sheeter Gade Sai Krishna has drawn the direct intervention of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and deputy CM Pawan Kalyan. In a major development on Wednesday, the chief minister ordered the suspension of Krishna Lanka circle inspector Nagaraju and directed a senior IPS officer to conduct an impartial inquiry into the case.
Soon after returning from his Singapore tour, Naidu headed to the secretariat and convened an urgent review meeting with top police officials. The deputy CM also joined the meeting, during which senior officers briefed the leadership on the developments surrounding Sai Krishna’s disappearance.
The case has generated widespread attention across Andhra Pradesh. According to allegations made by Sai Krishna’s family, police personnel from Krishna Lanka police station took him into custody at Markapuram on May 9. His family members claim that after being taken away by the police, he never returned home and has remained untraceable ever since. They have specifically accused CI Nagaraju of involvement in the incident.
As public pressure mounted, the Bezawada Bar Association (BBA) stepped in to support the family and moved the Andhra Pradesh high court on June 4, filing a habeas corpus petition seeking directions to trace and produce Sai Krishna. Taking serious note of the allegations, the high court directed the police to produce Sai Krishna before the court on or before June 29 and explain the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Against this backdrop, Vijayawada police commissioner Rajasekhar Babu earlier shifted CI Nagaraju to the vacancy reserve. However, following Wednesday’s high-level review, the chief minister directed police authorities to place the officer under suspension and ensure a fair and transparent investigation. He also instructed officials to identify those responsible and take strict action if any wrongdoing is established. Chief secretary G Sai Prasad, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta, intelligence chief Mahesh Chandra Laddha, and Vijayawada police commissioner Rajasekhar Babu also attended the review meeting.
