Jagan accuses Andhra Govt of 'neglecting' Sugali Preeti case

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the Andhra Pradesh government of "neglecting" the investigation into the Sugali Preeti murder case and alleged that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has "failed" to ensure justice for the victim’s family. Meanwhile, the ruling TDP has not yet responded to the allegations.

The case relates to the death of Preeti, a minor girl, during the previous TDP regime. School authorities allegedly maintained that Preeti died by suicide, while her parents claimed sexual assault and murder, citing visible injuries on her body.

The previous YSRCP government transferred the investigation to the CBI, while the family alleged justice remained elusive thereafter.

“The negligence of Naidu’s government in the Sugali Preeti case is causing immense anguish to her parents... Despite scientific evidence and reports being available, the government has chosen to remain silent instead of ensuring justice,” said Jagan in a post on X late on Tuesday.

According to Jagan, after YSRCP came to power, his government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) following requests from the victim’s parents and advanced the probe. The former chief minister said his government had also extended support to the family by allotting a five-cent house site in Kurnool, five acres of agricultural land and a government job.

He further said that a CBI probe was ordered into the case based on requests made by the family. According to him, after Naidu returned to power, the case was once again sidelined and despite the CBI expressing constraints over staff and resources, the state government had not extended adequate cooperation.

He also alleged that the victim's parents informed him that their 'pension had been stopped' for speaking against the government and questioning the delay in the investigation. The parents shared SIT reports prepared during the previous YSRCP government along with laboratory reports from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) and DNA profiling details collected during the probe.