Patna: A senior Bihar police officer was questioned for two hours at his Patna residence on Monday after the Patna high court declined to quash summons issued against him by the Andhra Pradesh police in connection with an alleged custodial torture case involving a former MP who is now a sitting MLA.
Sunil Kumar Nayak, inspector general of Bihar’s Home Guard and Fire Services Department, had moved the high court challenging two summons notices issued by A.R. Damodar, superintendent of police in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district, on February 25 and March 10, 2025. The notices directed him to appear in person in Ongole for questioning in relation to Nagaram Palem police station case No. 187/2024.
The court rejected Nayak’s criminal writ petition seeking to set aside the summons and declined to grant protection from coercive action. Following the order, a team from the Andhra Pradesh police travelled to Patna and questioned him in a closed room for about two hours. A case had earlier been registered against him on the directions of a court in Andhra Pradesh.
According to officials familiar with the matter, further legal steps are under way after the cancellation of his bail. If arrested, Nayak would be produced before a court and taken to Andhra Pradesh on transit remand.
The case stems from a complaint filed by K. Raghurama Krishna Raju, deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and MLA from Undi. Raju has alleged that he was falsely implicated in a case and subjected to illegal detention and torture at the Andhra Pradesh CID office in Guntur while he was a member of parliament.
In his complaint to the Guntur superintendent of police, Tushar Dudi, Raju alleged that he was subjected to “third-degree” torture in AP-CID custody. He claimed he was arrested on May 14, 2021 without due process, that no medical examination was conducted at the time of arrest, and that mandatory legal formalities were ignored.
Raju, who left the YSR Congress Party before the elections and is now associated with the Telugu Desam Party, has described the case against him as part of a “criminal conspiracy”. He has levelled serious allegations against several senior officials, including Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, as well as then director general of police P. V. Sunil Kumar, additional director general (intelligence) P. Sitaramanjaneyulu, and additional superintendent of police R. Vijaya Paul. He also alleged that the then superintendent of Guntur Government General Hospital, Dr Prabhavathi, and other doctors aided the conspiracy by issuing false medical reports.
In his complaint, Raju stated that while in custody at the AP-CID office in Mangalagiri, his legs were tied with ropes and he was beaten with rubber belts and sticks. He further alleged that an attempt was made to suffocate him by sitting on his chest despite his history of heart surgery. “This was an attempt to murder me,” he said, adding that he was threatened with death over his political criticism and that video footage of the alleged torture was shown live.
The Andhra Pradesh police are investigating the allegations on the basis of the FIR registered in the state. Sources said the inquiry is examining the summoning process, the role of officials named in the complaint, and the circumstances surrounding Raju’s detention.
The developments have caused unease within police circles in both Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. Nayak has maintained that there are serious questions about the legality of the summons and the allegations against him. The direction of the investigation – including whether arrests or further action follow – is likely to be closely watched in the coming days.
