Lawyer cries foul as NIA shifts Jagan Mohan Reddy ‘attacker’ to Hyderabad

VIJAYAWADA: A day after getting the custody of Janepalli Srinivasa Rao, the accused in the attack on Opposition Leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Visakhapatnam airport, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials shifted him to Hyderabad for questioning.

On Saturday, the NIA officials took Srinivasa Rao into their custody and, after having medical tests conducted on him at the New Government General Hospital here, he was shifted to Hyderabad in the afternoon. Sources said the NIA officials shifted Srinivasa Rao to Hyderabad as the agency does not have an office in Vijayawada.

As part of questioning, officials said Srinivasa Rao might also be taken to the Visakhapatnam airport where he attacked Jagan with a knife on October 25 last year.

Meanwhile, raising objection over shifting of Srinivas Rao to a ‘secret location,’ his lawyer Abdul Saleem demanded that the NIA  question him in his presence. The lawyer said the NIA officials disregarded the special court orders. 

On Friday, the NIA Special Court had granted the investigating agency one-week custody of Srinivasa Rao. In its order, the court made it clear that the accused should not be subjected to third-degree treatment and he should be allowed to take the help of his lawyer during interrogating/questioning. 

Srinivasa Rao will be in NIA’s custody till January 18. “Though we are confident of NIA’s impartial investigation into the case, it would have been better if they (NIA) informed his family before shifting him to Hyderabad. Earlier, he cooperated with the Special Investigation Team. The NIA officials should call me whenever Srinivasa Rao requests for advocate’s assistance during interrogation,” Saleem said.