Viveka murder case: CBI questioning Kadapa MP for 2nd straight day
Hyderabad, April 20: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was questioning Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy for the second consecutive day on Thursday in former minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy's murder case.
Avinash Reddy, who was grilled for about eight hours on Wednesday, appeared before the agency at its regional office here at 10.30 a.m.
The CBI officials were also questioning Avinash Reddy's father Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy and another accused Uday Kumar Reddy for a second day. The duo was brought from Chanchalguda Jail to the CBI office.
On the first day, the CBI officials had questioned them separately and it is not clear if Avinash Reddy will be questioned in the presence of his father and Uday Kumar Reddy.
The CBI team is gathering information from the accused about the reasons for the murder, events of the day when the crime was committed and their movements on the day.
Avinash Reddy, cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Redddy, has to appear daily before the CBI till April 25, as per the direction of the Telangana High Court.
This was the fifth time that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP appeared before the CBI.
The Telangana High Court had on Tuesday directed the CBI not to arrest Avinash Reddy till April 25.
In its interim order on anticipatory bail petition of the MP, the court directed him to appear before the CBI daily till April 25.
The CBI had summoned Avinash Reddy for questioning on April 17 but the agency twice deferred the questioning due to hearing of his anticipatory bail petition.
The final order on the anticipatory bail plea will be delivered on April 25.
On Tuesday, the CBI sent Bhaskar Reddy and Uday Kumar Reddy to CBI custody for six days. They will be questioned every day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Bhaskar Reddy was arrested by the CBI on April 16 while his follower Uday Kumar Reddy was arrested on April 14 in Pulivendula town of Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh. Both were brought to Hyderabad where a court sent them to judicial custody.
Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, a few days before the elections.
The 68-year-old former state minister and former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him.
The CBI took over the investigation into the case in 2020 on the direction of Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing a petition of Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Suneetha Reddy, who raised suspicion about some relatives.
The Supreme Court transferred the case to Hyderabad in November last year after Suneetha Reddy raised doubts about getting a fair trial and investigation in Andhra Pradesh.
With the Supreme Court setting April 30 as the deadline for the CBI to complete its investigation, the agency has expedited the probe with the arrest of Bhaskar Reddy and Uday Kumar Reddy and questioning of Avinash Reddy.