YS Jagan Gets Relief in Singayya Death Case as AP High Court Halts All Proceedings

In a major relief for YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has ordered a stay on the investigation against the former Chief Minister in connection with the death of a party worker named Singayya.

It may be recalled that Singayya died during Jagan’s tour of Rentapalla village in Satenapalli mandal, Palnadu district, last month. Initially, Guntur SP Satish Kumar stated that the incident occurred when an unauthorised vehicle ran over the worker. However, days later, a case was registered against Jagan, the car’s driver Ramana Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP Y.V. Subba Reddy, and former Ministers Perni Nani and Vidadala Rajini.

Based on video evidence, police amended the case from BNS Section 105 (negligent homicide) to Section 106 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).

YS Jagan and the other accused filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking to quash the FIR. During an earlier hearing, the court questioned the rationale behind naming the car’s passengers as accused in a road accident. It also observed that despite extensive arrangements, fatalities had occurred during the Kumbh Mela. The case was adjourned to July 1. During the hearing on Tuesday, the Advocate General, representing the TDP-led state government, requested two more weeks to file a counter-affidavit.

In response, the court noted that the contents of the FIR alone were sufficient grounds to consider quashing the case.

Jagan’s counsel detailed the sequence of events and questioned the basis for modifying the charges. The Advocate General argued that a video from social media allegedly showed Singayya caught under the tyre of Jagan’s bullet-proof vehicle. In response, the YSRCP leader’s lawyer questioned the credibility of the video, pointing out the ease of tampering with content using AI tools.

After hearing both sides, the High Court granted an interim stay on the investigation against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the other accused, directing the police to suspend all proceedings in the case. The court granted the Advocate General two weeks to submit the counter arguments.

Political observers have accused the TDP government of deliberately dragging the case, suggesting it was filed with a political vendetta in mind.