A view of the Supreme Court. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Supreme Court of India on Friday (February 20, 2026) indicated a “clear nexus between power and police” in the State of Andhra Pradesh during the investigation of a 2022 murder case involving a Dalit youth against YSRCP MLC Ananta Satya Udaya Bhaskar.
“This is a clear case of the nexus between police and power. Police and investigating agencies have been hobnobbing with the accused and all attempts have been made to grant default bail under Section 167(2) CrPC to the appellant on a platter,” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, heading a three-judge Bench, remarked.
In July 2025, a trial court had directed the Andhra Pradesh Police to file a supplementary charge sheet within 90 days in the alleged murder of Veedhi Subramanyam.
Mr. Bhaskar was the prime accused. The police had also registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The court asked how the MLC was enjoying interim bail for the last two years.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing in the case, said the supplementary charge sheet was filed, and it had shown a lacklustre if not complicit, approach in the investigation into a serious offence.
The court said a balance had to be struck between rights to personal liberty and fair trial. The apex court issued timelines for the investigation and prosecution of the case. It said the trial proceedings should not be hampered by stay orders.
The Supreme Court requested the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to assign a senior judicial officer to exclusively hear the case and frame charges by April 18, 2026. Further the probe, if any, has to be concluded before March 31, 2026. The Bench ordered the trial to be completed before November 30, 2026.
Published – February 20, 2026 02:01 pm IST
