The Andhra Pradesh High Court has transferred the investigation of the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This decision, announced on October 16, 2026, by a Division Bench comprising Justices Ravinath Tilhari and Alapati Giridhar, also mandates a compensation of ₹25 lakh to be paid to Sai Krishna's mother, Gade Vijayalakshmi.
The court's directive requires the Director General of Police (DGP) to hand over all related case files to the CBI and initiate disciplinary proceedings against the implicated police officers. The case is scheduled for further hearing on October 27. Previously, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the state government was handling the investigation into Sai Krishna's death, which occurred under suspicious circumstances while he was in custody at the Krishnalanka police station.
Sai Krishna, 25, was apprehended in May 2026 in Markapuram on a non-bailable warrant. Allegations have surfaced that he was tortured by Circle Inspector S. S. V. V. Nagaraju and other officers. His mother, Vijayalakshmi, had accused the police of killing her son and reported seeing injury marks on his body during a visit to the police station. Furthermore, CCTV footage from the station was reportedly missing, raising suspicions of foul play.
In September, the Supreme Court expressed serious concerns over the incident, questioning the police's failure to present Sai Krishna before a magistrate and to register an FIR promptly after receiving the complaint. Sai Krishna was reported missing after being taken into custody by the Krishnalanka police of the NTR Police Commissionerate. His mother filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court on June 2, which brought the case to public attention.
Inspector Nagaraju was arrested on June 23, charged with murder and illegal confinement. The state government subsequently established an SIT led by Inspector General of Police M. Ravi Prakash. The SIT's findings indicated attempts by the police to fabricate a narrative that Sai Krishna had escaped custody and fled to Goa, along with efforts to tamper with CCTV evidence.
The case has attracted significant attention, with YSRCP president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy calling for a CBI investigation. The High Court's recent order marks a significant development in the pursuit of justice for Sai Krishna and accountability for those involved in his alleged custodial death.
