Sajjala refuses to cooperate in investigation

Guntur: YSRCP leader Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy attended for questioning at Mangalagiri rural police station on Thursday in connection with the attack on the TDP state party office on October 19, 2021. He was accompanied by MLC Lella Appi Reddy, former minister Merugu Nagarjuna, former additional advocate general Ponnvolu Sudhakar Reddy to police station.

However, an altercation took place at the station as police did not allow Sudhakar Reddy and other leaders into the station. Based on the statement given by the one of the accused, who attacked the TDP state party office, the police mentioned the name of the Ramakrishna Reddy as accused 120 in the FIR.

Guntur north DSP Murali Krishna and Mangalgiri rural circle inspector Srinivasa Rao questioned him for over two hours.

According to police officials, Ramakrishna did not co-operate with the police officials and refused to give his cellphone to them. He reportedly answered ‘I don’t know’ ‘I don’t remember’ to the 38 questions posed by the police regarding the incident.

The police arrested YSRCP students wing state president Panuganti Chaitanya and another 27 accused in the case.

Police earlier grilled MLCs Talasila Raghuram, Lella Appi Reddy, Devineni Avinash, party leader and advocate Gavaskar and recorded their statements. They completed their questioning.

It may be mentioned that former MP Nandigam Suresh, another accused in the attack case, was arrested in connection with another case regarding murder of a woman.

Ramakrishna Reddy’s bail petition in the case is pending with the AP High Court, which directed the police not to take action against him till October 25. Police issued a lookout notice to stop him from going abroad earlier.

After questioning Ramakrishna Reddy, Mangalgiri rural CI Srinivasa Rao said Sajjala Ramakrishna did not cooperate with the police for investigation and insisted he was not involved in the attack. “He refused to give his cell phone. We have all evidence of his involvement in the attack. Since many accused have approached courts and obtained anticipatory bail, the probe is not going forward. It would have gone in a speedy manner if accused were arrested. The case has been handed over to AP CID and we are going to handover all the files to them,” the CI said.

Speaking to media later, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that the police officials harassed him in the name of investigation. He said when the TDP state party office was attacked he was not in the district. He said the voters elected the TDP government for governing, not to harass YSRCP leaders.