Pawan used Preethi's death politically: Mother

Files police complaint against Deputy CM 

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

In a significant political development, Parvathi Devi, the mother of Sugali Preethi, has lodged a complaint against Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan at the Gannavaram Police Station, alleging that he betrayed her family’s trust by using her daughter’s death for political gain.

In her complaint, Parvathi Devi sought the registration of cases against Pawan Kalyan on charges including cheating, criminal breach of trust, and allegedly colluding with the accused in the case. She claimed that despite earlier assurances of justice, the Deputy Chief Minister had failed to fulfil his promise after assuming office.

She alleged that Pawan Kalyan had earlier vowed to sign the Sugali Preethi case file as his first official act upon coming to power, but had since changed his stand. Expressing disappointment, she accused him of making statements that could benefit the accused by suggesting there was no DNA or sufficient evidence in the case. She also alleged that Jana Sena Party workers were being instigated to target her whenever she demanded justice.

The Sugali Preethi case is one of Andhra Pradesh's most widely discussed cases involving the suspicious death of a school student. The incident dates back to August 19, 2017, when Sugali Preethi, a Class 10 student of Kottamanchi Ramalinga Reddy (KRR) Residential School in Kurnool district, was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the school hostel.

School authorities initially informed her family that Preethi had died by suicide after allegedly hanging herself from a ceiling fan. However, her parents rejected the claim after seeing her body, alleging that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered. Medical observations from doctors at the Kurnool Government Hospital reportedly indicated injuries on her body, strengthening the family's suspicions of foul play.

Following a complaint by her parents, police registered a case under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A committee constituted by the district administration also noted suspicious injuries and circumstances surrounding her death.

The investigation led to the arrest of the school owner's sons, who were later granted bail after spending 23 days in judicial custody. Dissatisfied with the progress of the investigation, Preethi's family staged protests demanding justice and a thorough probe into the case.

The incident sparked widespread public and political attention across Andhra Pradesh. Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan visited the bereaved family and demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following which the investigation was transferred to the central agency.

The case took another turn in 2025, when the CBI informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court that it had been unable to conclusively solve the case and sought permission to withdraw from the investigation. However, with no resolution even after the coalition government came to power, Parvathi Devi has now approached the police, seeking legal action against the Deputy Chief Minister over a breach of trust and failure to honour his assurances.

The complaint has triggered political attention, while there has been no immediate response from Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan or the Jana Sena Party regarding the allegations.