Patna: In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, a team of Andhra Pradesh police arrived in Patna, arrested a serving IPS officer at dawn in connection with a five-year-old case of alleged custodial torture of a senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader, produced him before a civil court seeking transit remand — only to be rebuffed for serious procedural lapses, after which the officer walked free.The Patna civil court denied the transit remand plea sought by the Andhra Pradesh police for M Sunil Nayak, currently serving as inspector general (IG) of Bihar’s Home Guard and Fire Services. The court cited multiple procedural irregularities in the arrest and remand process.The court, presided over by the additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM)-12, Sunil Kumar, expressed strong displeasure, observing that the officers failed to produce an arrest warrant or an updated case diary. On these grounds, the court outright refused the remand request. It also directed that the Andhra Pradesh police should not take any coercive action against Nayak for the next 30 days. The IPS officer subsequently walked free from the court premises.The hearing followed Nayak’s early morning arrest at his residence in Patna’s Shastri Nagar area. During the proceedings, several police personnel, including three from Andhra Pradesh who had arrived without uniforms, were directed by the court to remain seated.City SP (central) Bhanu Pratap Singh said the Andhra Pradesh police had contacted local authorities regarding the case but did not adequately follow due process. He said the Andhra team carried out the arrest around 6am at Nayak’s residence under Shastri Nagar police station without prior intimation to the local police.“Information was provided around 6.20am to Patna police only after the arrest already took place. When the officer was produced in court, the prosecution could not furnish essential documents such as a warrant or case diary. Consequently, the court flatly refused the remand,” the SP told reporters on the court premises after the hearing.The case relates to alleged custodial torture of K Raghurama Krishna Raju, a former MP from Narsapuram in Andhra Pradesh and the current deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh assembly.The incident dates back to 2021 during the previous YSRCP govt when Raju was arrested over alleged derogatory remarks against the then CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Raju later alleged severe mistreatment and torture while in custody at the CID office in Guntur. In 2024, after the TDP returned to power, he lodged a case naming Nayak and other police officers.Nayak, a 2005-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, had been on deputation to Andhra Pradesh’s CID in 2019 as deputy inspector general and served there for three years, later holding higher responsibilities. He returned to Bihar following the formation of a new govt in 2024 and took charge of his present post.As he exited the court premises, Nayak was greeted by supportive police personnel outside the gate. His counsel Amit Shrivastava accused the Andhra Pradesh police of violating legal procedures, alleging that they “jumped over the wall and entered the house” during the arrest. He said they would challenge the action in the appropriate court.Shrivastava said, “The entire incident was malafide intention. The incident occurred in May 2021, but the FIR was filed in July 2024. He was not accused in it initially. The high court granted him protection, after which they added his name. We then withdrew the quashing petition from the high court ourselves, stating that we would pursue the legal procedure. Nayak filed for anticipatory bail, which was rejected by the local court there on Jan 9, 2026. We were preparing to approach the high court again. Meanwhile, on Monday morning, a team of Andhra Pradesh police entered the house. An investigating officer of SP rank climbed over the wall and entered the IG’s residence.”
