Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The Vijayawada metropolitan sessions court has adjourned the bail petition filed by Vemula Satish, prime accused in the case of stone-pelting at Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, to May 27. The incident happened during the CM’s Memantha Siddham Bus Yatra at Ajit Singh Nagar on April 13, 2024.
In a counter submitted on May 23, Vijayawada Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) stated that a strong prima facie case has been made out against Satish, that he committed the heinous offense of attacking the Chief Minister with the intention to kill and the offense was punishable with life imprisonment.
The ACP further said the investigation was at a crucial stage and some more witnesses were to be examined, securing of digital and scientific evidence was in progress and recording of the confessional statement of the accused and the test of identification were pending.
Besides, he raised the objection to granting bail, by saying that Satish might threaten the witnesses already examined/to be examined and even indulge in similar offenses again thereby hamper the investigation.
Satish was reported to have previous criminal antecedents and resorted to the attack on the CM on being assured of sufficient money and protection by the co-accused.
Advocate Abdul Salim had earlier argued on behalf of Satish that the latter was falsely implicated and he has been in judicial remand since April 17 when he was arrested by Ajit Singh Nagar police.
He contended that MLA Velampalli Srinivasa Rao (YSR Congress Party’s sitting MLA from Vijayawada West constituency, who was also injured in the attack) gave a complaint to the police with a view to get sympathy from the voters in the elections.
Mr. Salim had alleged that the police forcibly obtained the signature of Satish on a blank paper and converted it into his confession statement to strengthen their false case.