2 arrested for stealing documents from Nellore court

NELLORE: Putting an end to speculations behind stealing of documents and electronic items in custody of a Nellore court with regard to a high-profile case, police arrested two offenders for their involvement in the theft on Sunday.

The arrested have been identified as Nellore city residents Syed Hayath, aged 40, of Khudus Nagar and Khaja Rasool, 38, of Porlukatta area. Police recovered four mobile phones, one laptop, one tab and seven SIM cards from the accused.

Sharing details with mediapersons, superintendent of police Ch. Vijaya Rao said the two accused had earlier attempted to steal iron scrap from a godown close to the district court complex on Thursday, April 14. But they failed to break into the godown.

They then trespassed into court complex and broke open a wardrobe they found in a room of IV Judicial Magistrate First Class Court. They took away a bag containing documents and electronic items. After examining the bag, they took away the electronic goods and abandoned the documents on premises of the court.

Following this, outsourcing clerk B. Nageswar Rao of the court lodged a complaint with Chinna Bazar police stating that the stolen bag contains valuable documents and evidence related to criminal case No 521/2016 booked by Nellore Rural police. The stolen items allegedly pertain to a defamation case filed by senior TD leader Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy against agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy.

An additional SP, three circle inspectors and two sub-inspectors were among those deployed to investigate the case.

Vijaya Rao said Khaja and Hayat are habitual offenders and involved in 14 cases. They have been booked under sections 457 (house trespass or house-breaking by night to commit an offence) and 380 (theft of property in building). Additional SP P. Venkataratnam and others were present at the press conference.