*Missing CCTV footage raises questions over Sai Krishna lockup death probe*

Guntur, June 23: Former Minister Ambati Rambabu stated that the investigation into the lockup death of Kapu youth Gade Sai Krishna is being conducted with the sole objective of protecting those responsible, and said the disappearance of CCTV footage from Krishnalanka Police Station has reinforced serious concerns about the integrity of the probe.
Addressing the media at his camp office in Guntur, Ambati questioned why CI Nagaraju has not been arrested despite a case being registered. He said immediate arrest was necessary to prevent the destruction of evidence and noted that concerns raised from the beginning about tampering with evidence have now been validated by the disappearance of CCTV footage. Referring to reports that footage from only two days remains available, he said the loss of critical recordings has weakened public confidence in the investigation.
Ambati stated that Supreme Court guidelines require police stations to preserve CCTV footage for at least 18 months and questioned how such footage could have gone missing in a case of this magnitude. He said the SIT inquiry has moved at a slow pace while efforts continue to shield police officials involved in the case.
He further criticized attempts to justify the custodial death by referring to cases registered against Sai Krishna, stating that courts, not police officers, have the authority to punish individuals. He said Sai Krishna was subjected to torture in custody, killed in the lockup, and that his body was disposed of without being returned to the family. He also pointed out that Sai Krishna’s mother, Vijayalakshmi, has been seeking answers about her son’s fate for more than 40 days. Ambati stated that only a CBI investigation can ensure accountability, uncover the truth behind the missing CCTV footage, and deliver justice to Sai Krishna’s family.