HYDERABAD: A case has been registered against Endowments Minister Konda Surekha’s former officer on special duty (OSD), N Sumanth, and several others for allegedly attempting to murder 36-year-old real estate businessman Gongidi Harikrishna.
According to the victim’s complaint, Sumanth called him around 5 pm on July 30 and asked him to meet urgently. Harikrishna, who had just returned from his native village, said he would meet him the next day.
Later that evening, his friend Ramu asked him to come to his office near Jubilee Hills Check Post.
The victim arrived around 9.45 pm in a rental car with his friend Kiran, where Sumanth and Ramu were waiting. The complaint said Sumanth confronted Harikrishna over money collected in his name. When Harikrishna denied it, Sumanth allegedly abused and assaulted him with an iron rod, hitting his hands and legs. Sumanth’s associates then arrived at the scene, after which he allegedly instructed them “to kill” Harikrishna.
The accused reportedly assaulted him and warned him of dire consequences if he revealed the incident to anyone, the complaint added.
Sumanth has history of ‘threatening’ contractors
Harikrishna suffered a fracture to his left hand and bleeding injuries, and allegedly vomited blood. Two police constables took him to Jubilee Hills police station, from where he left to seek medical treatment.
He initially went to Gandhi Hospital and later received treatment at a private hospital in Chengicherla. He was subsequently shifted to another private hospital in Uppal, where he underwent surgery on August 10. “As he was undergoing treatment and was under fear of the accused, there was a delay in lodging the complaint,” the complaint reads.
On Thursday, Harikrishna and his friend approached Medipally police and lodged a complaint. A Zero FIR was registered and later transferred to Jubilee Hills police as the incident took place within its jurisdiction. Based on the complaint, Jubilee Hills police registered a case under Section 109 of the BNS (attempt to murder) against Sumanth, Prashanth, Arun Kumar Reddy, Karthik, Mahender Reddy, Ramu and others. Further investigation is ongoing.
It is to be noted that Sumanth has previously faced allegations of threatening senior executives of cement companies and contractors involved in major projects, and of demanding large sums of money in exchange for facilitating transfers and postings.