Supreme Court slams AP police for slow probe in murder case against MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar

Rajahmundry: The Supreme Court on Friday found fault with the Andhra Pradesh police for its slow investigation in the 2022 murder case against YSRCP MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar, stating 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 disappointment over the fact that the investigation in the case has not so far been completed. A bench comprising Chief Justice 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 free since then. 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.The bench issued the directions including 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." "We understand, they deliberately did not file the chargesheet," the CJI observed. What authority the DGP has to continue if he can't control the superintendent of police or the IO?" the CJI asked. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appearing 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 on Friday 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.