The Andhra Pradesh police has entrusted the investigation of the Balakrishna shooting case to the state police's criminal investigation department. Balakrishna, son of cine icon and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N T Rama Rao, shot at two persons at his residence in Hyderabad.

The state police reviewed the progress of the investigations and decided to hand over the case to the CID (criminal investigation department). Additional Police Commissioner A K Khan said that the accused actor, Balakrishna, who was admitted to hospital after the shooting complaining of chest pain, would be interrogated in the evening following reports that his condition was improving.

Speaking to newsmen after meeting Balakrishna, who is in the intensive care unit of CARE Hospital in Hyderabad, Khan said that the actor had assured the police of full cooperation into the shooting case investigation. "He is still drowsy but his condition is better than what it was yesterday," said Khan.

He added that the condition of the two film producers -- who were seriously injured when Balakrishna fired at them -- was also improving. "They (Bellamkonda Suresh and Satyanarayana Chowdary) are responding to treatment. They have been taken off the ventilator. They have gained consciousness," he said, referring to the victims of shooting who are undergoing treatment at the Apollo Hospital in the city. 

The additional commissioner said victims' statements would be recorded. "These will be important because the victims are also the eye-witnesses," he said, adding, "It is not a complicated case. Firing took place. We have all the circumstantial evidence. We have only to ascertain how this happened and what was the argument that led to the incident," he said.

Hyderabad Commissioner of Police R P Singh said that the actor-accused would be arrested once he was fit enough to be produced in the court. "We have gathered all the circumstantial evidence and we will take action on the basis of this evidence," he said.

Meanwhile, the authorities at Apollo Hospital said that Suresh and Chowdary are improving. "Their condition is stable and they are conscious. All we can say is that there is slight improvement but they remain to be critical," the hospital officials said.

There was conflicting news about Balakrishna. Some of those who called on him said that they had talked to him but some others claimed that he continued to be in "bad shape" and that they were not allowed to speak to him.

Balakrishna's brother Harikrishna spent some time at the Intensive Care Unit and said that his sibling was still on sedatives. Harikrishna's son, an actor known as NTR Junior, also visited the hospital and later said, "He (Balakrishna) is still suffering from pain. My uncle would never do anything like this (like firing at others). Let us hope for the best."

Lakshmi Parvathi, stepmother of Balakrishna, said she called on her stepson and found him to in a "bad condition". She said she spoke to him for a while and was told that there was a blood clot in his heart.

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