Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday, May 25, suspended Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar from the party in the wake of his arrest in the murder case of his former driver. According to a statement from the party office, the MLC has been suspended on the direction of the Chief Minister and party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The suspension came two days after police arrested the MLC. On the day he was arrested, he was also produced before a magistrate in Kakinada, who sent him to 14 days of judicial custody.
The MLC told police in his statement that he was responsible for the death of driver Subrahmanyam. He said he pushed the deceased during an argument, resulting in his fall and death on the night of May 19. The MLC also told police that he inflicted additional injuries on Subrahmanyam's body to present it as a death in a road accident. However, the driver's family refused to believe his version and lodged a complaint with the police.
As per the statement given by the MLC before the police, Subrahmanyam was in an inebriated condition and he pulled him up for not giving up bad habits. The MLC who had taken Subrahmanyam to a place near the former's house said he hit him for continuing the bad habits. This angered the driver, who questioned him. Enraged over the driver talking back to him, the MLC told the police he held him by the neck and pushed him. Subrahmanyam then sustained head injuries, and when he tried to hit back, the MLC pushed him again and this time the driver received a grievous head injury, police had said.
The MLC told police that he gave water to Subrahmanyam but a few minutes after taking a sip, he was unresponsive. The legislator then thought of showing the incident as a road accident. He carried the body in the car to a dumping yard, where he inflicted injuries on the body with sticks, police said.
Later, the MLC carried the body to Subrahmanyam's house and told his family members that he died in a road accident. After seeing the nature of the injuries on the body, they refused to believe his version. There was an argument between them and the MLC subsequently left the place, leaving behind the body in his car.