Jagan attack: Why NIA probe into a 'trivial' incident, asks Naidu

Hyderabd, Jan 12: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transferring the case of attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy to the NIA and questioned the basis of the decision.

Naidu wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed surprise over the Centre entrusting a "trivial" and "insignificant" case of a small incident that happened at Visakhapatnam airport to a prestigious investigation agency like NIA, without even taking into consideration the objections raised by the State government.

Naidu has stated that the formation of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the Home Ministry is contrary to "our federal spirit. Without a Constitution amendment, in the subject of law and order, the Centre has taken away the lawmaking power of the States."

"By setting up the NIA probe, the Central government now obviously wants to take upon itself the responsibility of fighting terror by sidetracking the states. It is with regret and anguish I am to say that the Union Government is bringing down the sanctity and autonomy of every institution." Naidu further said.

In the letter, dated January 11, 2019, Chief Minister Naidu took exception "to the manner in which the MHA entrusted the investigation of the airport incident to the NIA without dealing with reasoning out the objections furnished by the State government in this regard having called for the same."

Reddy, the YSRCP) leader, was attacked at the Vishakapatnam airport in October 2018. The accused, a worker at the airport canteen, attacked Reddy with a knife while he was waiting to board a flight to Hyderabad.

The attacker, Srinivas Rao, was taken into custody immediately by the state police for investigation. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government said that the attack was a publicity stunt by the accused and did not intend to kill Reddy.