Published Jun 21, 2026 | 10:47 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 21, 2026 | 11:39 AM
Andhra Pradesh DyCM and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan. Credit: facebook.com/PawanKalyan
Synopsis: Indirectly referring to the custodial torture and suspected death of Gade Sai Krishna, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan chose to make light of the serious violation of human rights and rule of law. Instead, he said he doesn’t want to “defend a rape accused” as if to justify custodial torture.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan does not seem to know the difference between the rule of law and killing an accused in police custody.
“Should I defend someone who was involved in the rape of a 14-year-old? Should I defend him just because he belongs to the same caste that I come from? How shameless can people be in making such a demand?” Pawan posed a barrage of questions at a party meeting in Kakinada on Saturday, 20 June.
Pawan Kalyan was referring to the case involving Gade Sai Krishna, a 25-year-old man from Vijayawada, whose suspected death in police custody attracted nationwide attention.
Also Read: The Gade Sai Krishna case is one Andhra Police cannot wish away
The accused was allegedly taken into custody by the Krishna Lanka police in Vijayawada in the second week of May. The 25-year-old is suspected to have died while in custody, allegedly due to torture, and his body was disposed of later.
What Pawan Kalyan has obviously forgotten is that, as one who took an oath under the Constitution, he has the responsibility to defend the rule of law. He need not defend the alleged acts of the accused, but he is under an obligation to defend a citizen’s right to be tried under the law.
It’s a basic understanding that police do not have the right to bump off anyone in their custody, and Pawan Kalyan does not have the right to defend such an act by the police.
“Criminals should be happy that I am not the Home Minister of the State,” Pawan Kalyan said.
Also Read: South India’s custodial crimes reality
Pawan Kalyan also has no answer as to why leaders of his party, Jana Sena, met family members of Sai Krishna in an apparent bid to reach a compromise between the police and them before the issue became public.
His comments came at a time when Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been dealing with the case in a measured manner.
Naidu met the mother of the victim, promised her adequate assistance, even as a special team has been constituted to investigate the custodial death.
Sources said stringent action, possibly arrest, could be ordered against Krishna Lanka Circle Inspector (CI) Nagaraju once the investigation team submits its report.
The team spoke to the staff of the police station, other witnesses and visited the crematorium where Sai Krishna’s body was allegedly cremated after he died in custody.
On 17 June, the Andhra Pradesh government suspended CI Nagaraju and ordered an impartial investigation by a senior IPS officer into the disappearance of Krishna.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
