The Family Court here, which is the in-charge NIA court, on Friday granted the NIA police seven days custody of J. Srinivas Rao, the accused in the attack on YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The NIA, which took over the case from the State police, produced Srinivas Rao in the court and filed a petition seeking his custody.
The court, however, directed the NIA sleuths not to use third-degree methods on the suspect. The court also asked the NIA to allow Srinivas Rao’s advocate to be present during questioning.
The court also directed the NIA police to conduct medical tests on Srinivas Rao once in every three days.
Pertinent questions
The reason behind attacking the YSRCP president, whether any other person was involved, why was a knife used in rooster fights used for the purpose, when and how was the attack planned, and any attempts made earlier were some of the issues on which the NIA police may grill Srinivas. The SIT constituted by the State police had questioned Srinivas, his family members, the owner of the restaurant in which he was working and others in the sensational case. The NIA team headed by an officer of the rank of DSP or above is likely to take Srinivas into custody from Vijayawada jail on Saturday. Srinivas, a waiter working in a restaurant located on the premises of the Visakhapatnam International Airport, attacked and caused injury on Mr. Reddy’s shoulder in the VIP lounge on October 25 last year. The police stepped up security at the court as Srinivas was shifted to Vijayawada from Visakhapatnam, and produced in the court here.