Avinash Reddy appears before CBI court in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case

Hyderabad, May 17: Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy, his father YS Bhaskar Reddy and other accused appeared before the CBI court here on Friday in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case.

Avinash Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy and Devireddy Shiva Shankar Reddy, who are on bail, appeared before the CBI court at Nampally Criminal Court Complex.

Four other accused lodged in Chanchalguda Central Prison were produced before the judge via video conference.

The accused are Erra Gangi Reddy, Sunil Yadav, Uma Shankar Reddy and G Uday Kumar Reddy.

However, the court adjourned the hearing to June 11.

The Telangana High Court early this month dismissed a petition to cancel anticipatory bail granted to Avinash Reddy.

The petition was filed by Shaik Dastagiri, an accused-turned-approver, in the case. The court, however, refused to grant bail to other accused G Uday Kumar Reddy and Sunil Yadav.

Avinash Reddy, who contested once again from Kadapa as the candidate of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the May 13 election, was granted bail by the High Court on May 31, 2023.

Avinash Reddy, who is a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, had approached the High Court for anticipatory bail after failing to appear before the CBI three times.

Former minister and former MP Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections.

In April last year, the CBI arrested Avinash Reddy’s father YS Bhaskar Reddy, a cousin of YSR. The CBI had told the court that Bhaskar Reddy, Avinash Reddy and their follower Devireddy Shiva Shankar Reddy hatched a conspiracy to murder Vivekananda Reddy as he had opposed the Kadapa Lok Sabha ticket to Avinash Reddy.

Avinash Reddy has denied the allegations against him and his father and alleged that the CBI ignored several key facts in the case.