Jagan attack: Hyderabad HC asks Andhra govt for report on SIT investigation

The Hyderabad High Court on Friday asked the Andhra Pradesh government and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the attack on YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy to submit a report on the status of the probe. 

A division bench of Chief Justice T B Radhakrishnan and Justice S V Bhatt were hearing a petition by Jagan himself and directed the Advocate General of the state to submit the report in a sealed cover to the court by Tuesday

In his plea, Jagan had alleged that he did not trust the investigation by the Andhra Pradesh police's SIT, which is being overseen by ACP B V S Nageswara Rao, and demanded an independent probe by a third party or central agency.  

Jagan was attacked by a man identified as Srinivas, a waiter working at a restaurant at the airport, on October 25, when the accused who claimed to be his fan and approached him for a selfie. He was scheduled to leave for Hyderabad and was waiting in the VIP lounge. 

Andhra DGP RP Thakur said that the accused was a fan of Jagan and attacked him for 'publicity.' In his petition in front of the High Court, Jagan pointed out that the DGP’s press conference was held within an hour of the attack without proper investigation, thereby suspecting foul play.

Earlier, Jagan also wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, seeking central intervention on the attack.

In the letter, the YSRCP chief claimed that the investigation by the state government was “undertaken in a predetermined and deficient manner,” adding that the inquiry had arrived at a “premature conclusion” and tried to portray the attack as an “internal ploy” of the YSRCP.

Meanwhile, the Third Metropolitan Magistrate in Visakhapatnam on Friday extended the judicial remand of J. Srinivasa Rao alias Srinivas till November 23.