IPS officer Sunil Naik appears for questioning in custodial torture case

The interrogation is being conducted by the investigation officer and Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police Damodar, who is leading the probe into the alleged custodial assault

In a key development in the high-profile custodial torture case involving Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker Raghurama Krishnam Raju, Bihar-cadre IPS officer Sunil Naik, named as Accused No. 7 (A-7) in the case, has finally appeared before investigators for questioning.

Acting on directions from the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Naik presented himself before the investigation team at the CCS Police Station in Guntur on Thursday. The interrogation is being conducted by the investigation officer and Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police Damodar, who is leading the probe into the alleged custodial assault.

Police officials said Naik will be subjected to extensive questioning from March 5 to March 9 as part of the ongoing investigation into the events surrounding the alleged attempt on Raju’s life while he was in custody.

The case dates back to May 2021, during the tenure of the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, when Raghurama Krishnam Raju was serving as the Member of Parliament from Narsapuram. He was arrested by the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) from his residence in Hyderabad and subsequently shifted to the CID regional office in Guntur.

Raju later alleged that he was subjected to severe custodial torture during the night he was detained at the CID office, triggering widespread political controversy and legal battles that have continued for years.

Investigators probing the case reportedly found evidence suggesting that Sunil Naik, who was then serving as CID Deputy Inspector General (DIG), had visited the CID regional office multiple times on the night Raju was in custody. Based on these findings, Naik was included as Accused No. 7 in the case.

According to police sources, Naik had earlier been served multiple notices asking him to appear for questioning. However, he failed to comply with those summons. In a bid to secure his presence, Andhra Pradesh police teams had even travelled to Patna, where Naik was reportedly stationed, to take him into custody. However, officials could not bring him back due to technical and legal hurdles.

Subsequently, Naik approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The court, however, declined to grant him relief and directed him to cooperate with the investigation by appearing before the police for questioning.

Following the court’s directive, Naik appeared before the investigation team on Thursday. The questioning, which began earlier in the day, is expected to continue until 5 p.m. each day, with investigators focusing on reconstructing the events that unfolded at the CID office on the night of Raju’s detention.

Officials said the ongoing interrogation is a crucial phase of the investigation, as it aims to establish the sequence of events and the roles played by officials present at the CID office during the alleged custodial assault.