The CID investigation has begun against former CID chief and senior IPS officer PV Sunil Kumar against alleged atrocities committed during YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s regime. The investigation has moved forward on the complaint filed by lawyer Gudapati Lakshminarayana that during his tenure as CID chief, several people were arrested in the middle of the night and third-degree assault was used on them.
CID officials recorded Lakshminarayana’s statement in the court premises here on Tuesday. Later, statements were taken from TDP media cell in-charge Darapaneni Narendra, TDP social media leader Vgarlapati Venkateswara Rao alias Venkatesh, and senior journalist Kolli Ankababu. Lakshminarayana had then complained to the Union Home Ministry that during Sunil Kumar’s tenure as CID DG, several TDP workers were arrested in the middle of the night and third-degree assault was used on them in custody in violation of rules.
The Union Home Secretary ordered the AP Chief Secretary to investigate this and submit a report. The CS asked the DGP to investigate this, but the then Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy did not pay attention during his tenure. After the coalition government came to power, Lakshminarayana again wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary and DGP to investigate this matter.
With this, the government ordered an investigation against Sunil Kumar. CID officials went to Lakshminarayana on Tuesday afternoon. He explained why he had to file this complaint and said that senior journalist Kollu Ankababu was not only arrested in Vijayawada at midnight, but also that his age was not even respected.
He explained that TDP media cell in-charge Darapaneni Narendra was arrested at night, kept in the CID office and threatened, and was also severely tortured. He also said that Dharani Kota Venkatesh was arrested at midnight and brought to the house, not only was he tortured. He added that personal freedom was violated by violating IPC sections as well as constitutional provisions.
Lakshminarayana told the media that the authorities had recorded his statement. After that, the CID officials summoned Narendra and Venkatesh and questioned them about the manner in which they were arrested. They asked about the manner in which the authorities acted that day. It is learnt that after taking their statements, they were asked if they remembered those who had come to arrest them that day and those who had physically tortured them.