'Police-Politician Nexus' : Supreme Court Raps Andhra Police For Lax Probe In Murder Case Against YSRCP MLC Udaya Bhaskar

The Supreme Court on Friday came down heavily on the Andhra Pradesh police for its lethargic investigation in the 2022 murder case against YSRCP MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar, terming that the police "were hobnobbing with the accused" and had made "all efforts to offer default bail to him on a platter."

The Court expressed serious disappointment over the fact that the investigation in the case has not so far been completed. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was considering the appeal filed by Bhaskar in 2022 seeking bail. In December 2022, the Supreme Court had granted him interim bail, and he has been enjoying it since then.

Today, the bench pulled up the State Police for the manner in which the investigation was being carried out, saying that there was "complete connivance" by the investigating officers with the accused.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, for the State of Andhra Pradesh, submitted that after the change of regime in the State following the 2024 elections, the investigation was taken seriously, and suggested that the probe was derailed, probably due to the influence of the accused during the previous regime when his party was in power.

Bhaskar is accused of murdering his driver Veedhi Subramanyam, a Dalit youth, in May 2022. The victim's family informed the bench today that the chargesheet was filed only on the 92nd day, to ensure that he got the benefit of default bail. However, the High Court did not grant him the relief, and the matter reached the Supreme Court.

The State's counsel submitted that there used to be connivance between the accused and the police during the previous regime. Although chargesheet was filed, it was incomplete for want of FSL report, and was returned.

"We understand, they deliberately did not file the chargesheet," CJI observed. Luthra submitted that the State has now filed a supplementary chargesheet. "After the government change in 2024, this file was revived, earlier defective chargesheet was filed," he added.

The bench asked what action had been taken against the police officers responsible for the faulty probe. "What action has been taken? Have you issued any show-cause notice? You have not completed the investigation in four years. What authority the DGP has to continue if he can't control the Superintendent of Police or the IO?" CJI asked.

"Firstly, you must take any disciplinary action," Justice Bagchi said.

The CJI also expressed astonishment over the fact that a bail matter has been kept pending in the Supreme Court for over four years after granting leave to appeal. "In bail matter, what is the need to grant leave to appeal? Dispose it of with a one-line order," CJI said.

Directions issued to expedite trial, timelines fixed

In the order disposing of the matter, the bench made a scathing observation that "police and investigating agencies have been hobnobbing with the accused" and "all efforts have been made to offer default bail to him on a platter."

The Court noted that the accused has been enjoying interim bail since December 2022 and the investigation has not been completed. "This again shows laxity, if not complicity, of the State police, with the accused exhibiting gross negligence in the matter of investigation of a heinous offence, " the bench observed.

The bench issued the following directions :

• Further investigation be completed by March 31.
• Framing of charges be decided by April 18.
• Prosecution evidence be completed by August 31.
• Trial be completed by November 30, 2026.

The Court requested the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to assign the matter to a senior judicial officer, who has to take up the matter on a weekly basis. The portfolio judge of the High Court has been directed to monitor the progress of the trial to ensure compliance with the timelines.

The High Court has been directed not to pass any interim order to stay the trial.

After dictating the order, the CJI observed that it was a clear case of the "nexus between police and political power."

Case : ANANTHA SATYA UDAYA BHASKARA RAO ANANTHA BABU Vs THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH | 3 Hearing Crl.A. No. 2260/2022