The National Investigation Agency (NIA) interrogated J. Srinivas Rao, the sole accused in the attack on YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, for the third consecutive day, at their office here in Madhapur.
Rao, a waiter at a restaurant in Visakhapatnam Airport, attacked Mr Reddy on October 25 last, on the airport premises, when the latter was en route to Hyderabad.
A special team comprising NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal, DIG S Praveen Kumar, Superintendent of Police Md. Sajjad Khan and DSP Kavitha grilled the accused for more than eight hours on Wednesday.
The NIA team quizzed Rao on the reason behind the attack, persons involved in the case and the source of the knife used for the attack etc. Sources said the officials also grilled Rao on how he planned the attack whether he had made any attempts earlier also.
The NIA officials are also questioning the accused on the phone calls he received from some women reportedly from Chittoor and Srikakulam, a few hours prior to the attack.
Investigators are suspecting that Rao might have been ‘honey-trapped’ by some women who prodded him to attack Mr Reddy.
Die-hard fan of Jagan
Responding to the questions, Rao told the NIA team that he brought the knife inside the airport in August last year, it was not a well-planned attack and he was also a ‘die-hard fan’ of Mr Reddy, said Rao’s counsel Abdus Saleem.
Ready for narco test
Speaking to The Hindu , he said that the interrogation started around 10 a.m. and lasted till 6 p.m.
The attacker, who will be remanded in judicial custody on Friday reportedly told the NIA that he was ready for narco test.
When asked about the 22-page letter written by Rao inside the prison, Mr Saleem said that the letter was addressed to Mr Reddy on several welfare schemes and how lack of quality education was forcing several youngsters to become criminal.
