First arrest in RRR Custodial Torture Case: Police arrests Ex-Cop Vijay Paul

Ongole: The Prkaksam SP AR Damodar and his team arrested the former additional SP of CID, K Vijay Paul, in connection with the custodial torture case of former MP and Undi MLA Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju (RRR), in Ongole on Tuesday.

The case dates back to May 14, 2021, when the AP CID officials arrested the then Narasapur MP Raghurama Krishnam Raju in Hyderabad, on the charges of tarnishing the image of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh Government. The police booked the case under sections 50(2), 153, and 505 of the IPC, including a non-bailable section 124A of the IPC. After the arrest, Raghurama Krishnam Raju complained to the magistrate that he was tortured in custody, and the medical reports by the military hospital revealed that he suffered injuries.

After the change of government, Raghurama Krishnam Raju made a complaint at Nagarampalem police station in Guntur. A case is filed against former CID DG Sunil Kumar, former Intelligence DG P Sitharamanjaneyulu, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, CID Additional SP K Vijay Paul, and GGH Superintendent Prabhavathi. The investigation of the case is handled by Guntur police, CID and then handed over to Prakasam SP AR Damodar on October 14, as part of the efforts to expedite the case.

On November 13, Prakasam SP Damodar called the investigation officer of the case of RRR, the former additional SP of CID, Vijay Paul to Ongole for examination. For about 20 questions about the incidents occurred on the day of RRR's arrest, Vijay Paul replied that he don't know, he forgot and he can't remember, as the answers.

Meanwhile, Vijay Paul approached the High Court for anticipatory bail but got it rejected. The Supreme Court rejected his Special Leave Petition for bail for anticipatory bail, on Monday. On Tuesday, Vijay Paul attended to the questioning by the Prakasam SP. Sources said that Vijay Paul was kept waiting in the District Police Office until late evening, and a team of police officials arrsted him at around 09:00 PM.

The police shifted Vijay Paul to Taluk Police Station and kept him in their custody. As the ECMO machine is said to be non available at GGH Ongole, the police are planning him to shift to GGH Guntur in the early morning, after they prepare the remand report.