Hyderabad — In a magisterial inquiry held on Thursday, K. Venkateshwari, the mother of 27‑year‑old Sai Krishna, implored senior magistrate Justice S. R. Kumar to order the police to hand over her son’s mortal remains. Venkateshwari alleged that the investigation into her son’s death in police custody has been sluggish and that the family remains “in the dark” about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
What happened
Sai Krishna was arrested on 30 June 2023 in Hyderabad on allegations of theft, according to the family’s testimony before the magistrate. He was taken into police custody and, the family says, never returned home. The police later informed the relatives that Krishna had been found dead in a lock‑up on 2 July 2023. The police department’s official statement attributes the death to a heart attack, but Venkateshwari contended that no medical examination was conducted and that the post‑mortem report has not been shared with the family. She demanded that the police produce the body for a proper burial and allow an independent forensic examination.
During the hearing, the magistrate asked police officials to submit a detailed report covering the chain of custody, the detainee’s medical condition, and the actions taken by police on the day of the death. Police representatives told the court that they were compiling the required documents and would submit them within the statutory time‑frame prescribed under the Andhra Pradesh Police Act. They reiterated that the death was being investigated “as per standard procedure” and that any lapses, if found, would be dealt with under the law.
Why it matters
The case has revived long‑standing concerns about custodial deaths in India. Human‑rights organisations have repeatedly highlighted a pattern of alleged police misconduct, opaque investigations, and delayed or denied release of post‑mortem reports. The family’s demand for the body underscores a broader distrust of official narratives, especially when forensic findings are not promptly disclosed. If the police fail to produce the body or a credible forensic report, the matter could attract further judicial scrutiny, possible intervention by the state human‑rights commission, and heightened public pressure on Andhra Pradesh’s law‑enforcement agencies to improve transparency.
Background and context
Custodial deaths have been a persistent issue across Indian states. The Supreme Court of India, in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997), laid down procedural safeguards for persons in police custody, including the requirement of a medical examination within 24 hours and the preparation of a detailed post‑mortem report in case of death. Despite these guidelines, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) continues to record hundreds of deaths in police lock‑ups each year.
In Andhra Pradesh, the state government has, in recent years, introduced a magisterial inquiry mechanism under the Andhra Pradesh Police Act to examine custodial deaths. The inquiry is intended to assess whether due process was followed and to recommend corrective action. The present hearing marks the first formal step in the inquiry into Sai Krishna’s death, with the magistrate tasked with evaluating the police’s compliance with statutory obligations.
Competing claims and uncertainty
The police department maintains that Sai Krishna died of a heart attack, a claim that has not been independently verified. The family disputes this account, stating that no medical examination was performed and that the post‑mortem report remains withheld. The magistrate’s request for a “detailed report on the chain of custody, the medical condition of the detainee, and the actions taken by police officials” reflects the procedural gap between the two narratives.
At present, no autopsy report or death certificate has been produced to the family or made public. The absence of such documentation fuels uncertainty about the exact cause of death and whether any foul play occurred. Moreover, the family’s allegation that the investigation has been “slow” suggests possible procedural delays, though police officials have asserted that they are adhering to statutory timelines.
What to watch next
The next critical step will be the submission of the police’s detailed report to the magistrate, as ordered during the hearing. The report is expected to include the lock‑up log, any medical records, and the post‑mortem findings, if any. Following receipt, the magistrate will likely issue a recommendation—ranging from a directive to produce the body for an independent forensic examination to a formal finding of procedural lapses.
If the magistrate finds that the police failed to comply with the Bas u guidelines or the Andhra Pradesh Police Act, the case could be escalated to the High Court or to the state human‑rights commission for further action. Civil‑society groups, such as the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), have previously called for stricter oversight of custodial deaths; their response to the outcome of this inquiry will be closely monitored.
Additionally, the family’s request for the body may trigger a legal battle over the right to a dignified burial versus the police’s claim of retaining the remains for forensic purposes. Past cases in India have seen courts ordering the release of bodies when families have demonstrated that proper forensic procedures were either completed or could be replicated by an independent agency.
Conclusion
The magisterial inquiry into the death of Sai Krishna spotlights the tension between police procedural claims and the family’s demand for transparency and closure. While the police assert that the death resulted from a natural cause and that investigations are proceeding according to law, the family’s allegations of withheld evidence and delayed action raise serious questions about accountability. The forthcoming police report and the magistrate’s subsequent orders will be pivotal in determining whether Andhra Pradesh’s custodial‑death inquiry mechanism can deliver a credible, evidence‑based resolution, or whether the case will add to the growing list of contested custodial deaths that fuel public distrust in law‑enforcement institutions.
Sources
– The Hindu, “Custodial death case: Sai Krishna’s mother urges police to give his mortal remains,” https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/custodial-death-case-sai-krishnas-mother-urges-police-to-give-his-mortal-remains/article71183190.ece
Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
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