Vivekananda Reddy murder case gains pace

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will once again question Kadapa MP Y S Avinash Reddy on Friday as the four-year-old sensational case relating to former Andhra Pradesh minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy’s murder is set to enter a crucial phase.

Avinash Reddy, a cousin of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, will appear before the CBI officials in Hyderabad. This is the second time he will be appearing before the central agency. Avinash Reddy’s father Y S Bhaskar Reddy was also summoned by the CBI on Thursday but he has sought more time. Avinash Reddy will be making an appearance two days after the CBI made startling revelations in the case. While opposing the bail petition of one of the accused Sunil Yadav, the CBI stated in its counter filed in Telangana High Court on Wednesday that Avinash Reddy, his father Y S Bhaskar Reddy and their follower D Siva Sankar Reddy had hatched a criminal conspiracy to kill Vivekananda Reddy over conflicting political ambitions.

The CBI submitted to the court that the trio used other accused Yerra Gangi Reddy, Sunil Yadav, Dastagiri and others who worked for Vivekananda Reddy to execute the murder plot. Avinash Reddy and Bhaskar Reddy had a grouse against Vivekananda Reddy as the latter was opposed to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) fielding Avinash as the party candidate from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency. The former minister wanted that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y S Sharmila or mother Y S Vijayamma be fielded.

The CBI claimed that Rs 40 crore was offered to the other accused to carry out the murder. The investigating agency also stated in its counter that Vivekananda Reddy was not happy with his brother Bhaskar Reddy and nephew Avinash Reddy as they had sabotaged his chances in MLC election in 2017 in Kadapa. Avinash and his father wanted Siva Sankar as MLC candidate but when Jagan Mohan Reddy fielded Vivekananda, the trio ensured he was defeated.