In a stinging indictment of the law enforcement machinery in Andhra Pradesh, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered that the murder trial against YSRCP MLC Anantha Satya Udaya Bhaskara Rao must be concluded by November 30. The Court observed a “complete collusion” between the state police and those in power, characterized as a “nexus between power and police.”
The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M Pancholi, issued a series of mandatory directions to expedite the long-pending trial of Rao. The MLC is accused of the 2022 murder of his former driver, Veedhi Subramanyam. The Court has now mandated a strict timeline for investigation, framing of charges, and the examination of witnesses to ensure the judicial process is not further subverted.
The matter originates from the death of Veedhi Subramanyam, a Dalit driver previously employed by Rao, in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, in May 2022. Following a money dispute, Subramanyam was allegedly killed, leading to Rao’s arrest under the Indian Penal Code for murder and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Rao had previously sought default bail, which was dismissed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on September 26, 2022. The High Court had ruled that a chargesheet returned for technical corrections or missing scientific reports cannot be deemed “incomplete” or “defective” to merit bail. However, on December 12, 2022, the Supreme Court granted Rao interim bail, noting he could not be kept in indefinite custody.
Upon perusing the case records on Friday, the Supreme Court expressed grave concern over the conduct of the state authorities. Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked:
“This is a case of complete collusion and hobnobbing. It is a clear case of the nexus between power and police.”
The bench noted that despite the High Court’s refusal to grant bail earlier, the state police appeared to be “hobnobbing” with the accused rather than conducting a rigorous prosecution.
Mandatory Directions and Timeline
To prevent further delays, the apex court issued the following directions:
- Trial Oversight: The Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court has been requested to entrust the trial to a senior judicial officer capable of hearing the matter at least once a week.
- Investigation Deadline: The state police must conclude all pending investigations by March 31.
- Framing of Charges: The trial court is directed to complete the framing of charges against the lawmaker by April 18, 2026.
- Prosecution Evidence: The prosecution has been given until August 31 to conclude the examination of all witnesses.
- Defense Evidence: The accused is granted a two-month window following the prosecution’s evidence to lead his defense.
- Final Verdict: The entire trial must conclude by November 30.
The Supreme Court further restrained all courts, including the High Court, from passing any orders that might halt or delay the trial. The judge in charge of the relevant district has been tasked with ensuring these procedural directions are strictly followed.
