Andhra MLC’s wife questioned by SIT in former driver’s murder case

The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed Lakshmi Durga, wife of MLC Anantha Uday Bhaskar, to appear before the SIT probing the 2022 murder of Dalit youth Veedhi Subrahmanyam. She was questioned in Kakinada amid allegations of her involvement.

Amaravati: Member of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, Anantha Uday Bhaskar’s wife, Lakshmi Durga, on Monday appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the murder of his former driver.

She appeared before the investigating officer in Kakinada at the direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Anantha Uday Bhaskar dropped her at the office of Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), where investigating officer Manish Patil Devraj questioned her.

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The High Court had directed her to appear before SIT between March 16 and March 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The order was passed on her petition seeking cancellation of a non-bailable warrant against her issued by the Special SC/ST Court in Rajamahendravaram.

The SIT, in the supplementary charge sheet filed last month, had stated that Lakshmi Durga had a role in the 2022 murder of Dalit youth Veedhi Subrahmanyam. Following this, she was named a second accused in the case and a non-bailable warrant was issued a week ago.

MLC Anantha Uday Bhaskar, also known as Anantha Babu, is the first accused in the case. He is accused of killing his former driver, Subrahmanyam, and later delivering the body to the victim’s house.

Subrahmanyam (34) was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Kakinada on May 19, 2022. The MLC of the then-ruling YSR Congress Party had personally transported the body to the victim’s parents’ residence around 2 a.m. in his own car, claiming it was a road accident.

The family, however, suspected foul play and refused to accept the body. The murder had sparked protests by the victim’s relatives and Dalit organisations.

Anantha Babu had allegedly pushed the deceased during an argument, resulting in his fall and death. The legislator allegedly inflicted additional injuries on the body to make it appear as though the death resulted from a road accident.

The MLC was subsequently arrested, and the YSRCP suspended him from the party.

With the investigating officer unable to submit the charge sheet within 90 days, Anantha Babu was released on default bail in December 2022.

After coming to power in June 2024, the TDP-led coalition government decided to re-investigate the case. Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and incumbent Kakinada DSP Manish Devraj Patil was appointed as the investigation officer.

In July 2025, the SC/ST Special Court ordered a re-investigation into the case. The MLC had challenged the order in the High Court, but it granted a stay on a lower court’s order, which had also directed that a supplementary chargesheet be filed within 90 days.

In the supplementary charge sheet, the SIT stated that footage collected from multiple locations across Kakinada showed both Anantha Babu and his wife near a guest house, where the murder was alleged to have taken place.

Investigators said the MLC’s vehicle made suspicious halts for over an hour on a dark stretch near a guest house.

Last month, the Supreme Court observed that there was a clear “nexus between police and power” in the case and that the police had attempted to help Ananta Uday Bhaskar secure bail.

Following this, the state government suspended four police officers over the lapses in the investigation that led to the release of the MLC.