: Telangana TDP MLA of L.B. Nagar from the city, R. Krishnaiah, was grilled by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing slain gangster Nayeemuddin-related cases at Narsingi police station on Tuesday.
While the SIT officials remained tight-lipped on why the legislator was summoned and the questions put to him, the latter told media persons that the interrogation was related to his earlier statements that appeared in media about Nayeem.
“I was asked to appear before them under provisions of Evidence Act. A senior officer enquired about my relations with the gangster,” Mr. Krishnaiah told The Hindu over phone.
The investigators questioned the legislator as to how he knew Nayeem and if he met the gangster before the latter got killed in an exchange of fire with the police at Shadnagar of Mahabubnagar district. Mr. Krishnaiah told the police that Nayeem (while he was a college student) met him since he agitated on scholarships and other issues.
“I made it clear that Nayeem never came in contact with me after he joined the then People’s War Group of Naxalites (now CPI-Maoists),” the legislator said. Nayeem had refuted his involvement in the murders of Eedanna and Belli Lalitha during some phone conversations, the MLA explained to the police.
Known for spearheading agitations over issues of Backward Classes’ students, scholarships and mess charges, Mr. Krishnaiah is one of the three TDP MsLA in Telangana. Out of the 15 Telangana TDP MsLA, 12 had already switched loyalty to TRS. A few days ago, he had explained at a press conference on allegations about his association with Nayeem following some reports in media.
Interestingly, Mr. Krishnaiah became the first legislator to be examined by the police despite no case being registered against him. None of the three TRS leaders from erstwhile Nalgonda district —whose names cropped up in First Information Reports were issued — are yet to be questioned.
TRS MLC Nethi Vidyasagar’s name was mentioned in a case of alleged extortion of money from a businessman Ganpaa Nagendra of Bhongir in Nalgonda. The complainant stated that he had met the MLC seeking help after Nayeem and his associates demanded that they be paid Rs. 1 crore.
Criminal cases were registered against two other TRS leaders of the district, Chinthala Venkateshwar Reddy and Goli Pingal Reddy. The SIT, which issues brief statements about the progress in the investigation, had not so far officially stated if these leaders were questioned.
