The entire country has seen how former YSRCP Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy created ruckus at the polling booth on May 13th when a CCTV footage became viral a few days after the election. The atrocities committed by Pinnelli and his supporters were condemned by everyone irrespective of their political affiliations. He was clearly seen entering the polling station and destroying the EVM in the presence of polling officers in these videos.
After the videos went viral, several cases were booked on Ramakrishna Reddy and he was subsequently arrested a few days ago. He was lodged in Nellore sub jail. On Monday, a team of police officers led by Gurajala DSP Srinivas Rao questioned Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy into the allegations relating to damage of EVM at Palvai Gate polling booth on May 13th and also manhandling of TDP agent Namburi Seshagiri Rao.
During the interrogation, the former Macherla MLA stated that he didn’t went to the said polling booth on the day of election and also said he was not present at the scene of offence. He also refused to admit that he confronted Seshagiri on that day and said he don’t know about his identity.
Pinnelli categorically denied all charges framed against him by the Narsaraopeta police during the first day of investigation in custody. For many of the questions posed to him by the investigation team, Pinnelli simply said he was not present there at the polling booth.
While there is firm evidence that Pinnelli damaged the EVM and also manhandled the TDP agent on the day of polling, it is quite surprising that he denied his presence at the polling station.
The inquiry into the remaining charges like attacking CI Narayana Swamy and resorting to brutal violence in Karampudi after the polling day are going to be carried out on the second day.