Nellore court theft case: CBI clean chit to Kakani; Minister blames Naidu for false propaganda

VIJAYAWADA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has given a clean chit to Agriculture Minister and Sarvepalli MLA Kakani Govardhan Reddy in a case relating to the missing files from a courtroom in Nellore. The probe agency had recently filed a chargesheet in the case in which it said Kakani had no role in the case of missing documents at the court complex.

Based on a complaint lodged by the staff of the IV Additional Judicial Magistrate Court, the Nellore police had registered a case on April 14, 2022 and launched a probe into the theft of crucial documents. The complainant had said that the main door locks of the court were found broken and a bag including laptop, mobile phones and several documents related to a criminal case of 2016 filed against Govardhan Reddy and three others by Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy was missing.

Also Read: Acid attack on minor girl: AP Minister vows strong deterrence

Following a direction from the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the central agency took over the investigation from the Chinna Bazar police station in the case.

After conducting an investigation into the files missing case for over a year, the CBI had filed a 403-page chargesheet and interrogated 88 witnesses. The central agency also rejected the allegations of TDP leader Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and contended that the Minister Kakakani had no connection with the accused. During the preliminary stage of investigations, the Nellore police had detained two suspects Syed Hayath and Shaik Khaja Rasool and recovered a tablet, laptop and four mobile phones from their possession.

Also Read: AP HC hands over Nellore court theft investigation to CBI

Reacting to the clean chit, Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy said, "I had requested the CBI to inquire into the allegations leveled against me in the Nellore court file missing case. I now have a clean chit in this case. I have been saying that this is just a propaganda by Chandrababu Naidu and his affiliated media. I am now challenging Naidu whether he is ready to investigate any allegations against him. Naidu looted public money. If he feels that he is honest, he should immediately seek a CBI inquiry into the allegations against him."