The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested YS Bhaskar Reddy, father of Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy and uncle of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in connection with the murder of former MP Vivekananda Reddy. The 72-year-old former head of the YSR Congress Party in Pulivendula mandal was arrested by two teams of CBI officials from his residence in Pulivendula, Kadapa district, in the early hours of Sunday, April 16.
Bhaskar is currently being shifted to Hyderabad. His mobile phone has been seized by the officials. He was arrested under sections 302 (punishment for murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
Two days ago, the CBI had arrested G Uday Kumar Reddy, who is reportedly a close aide of Avinash Reddy, at Pulivendula in connection with the case.
Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on the night of March 15, 2019, roughly a month before the Assembly 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 in the case in 2020, on the direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing a petition by Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Suneetha Nareddy, who had raised suspicions about some relatives.
The Supreme Court transferred the case to Hyderabad in November last year while observing that doubts raised by Suneetha about getting a fair trial and investigation in Andhra Pradesh were reasonable.
The CBI, in its 38-page affidavit filed on February 22 this year, indicted the Andhra Chief Minister’s uncle and second cousin Bhaskar Reddy and Avinash Reddy. According to the CBI, Avinash and Bhaskar conspired to murder Vivekananda due to a long-running political rivalry, aggravated by conflicts over an MLC seat (in 2017) and an MP seat (in 2019). The father-son duo allegedly hatched the plot with their aide D Siva Shankar Reddy. A few others who had worked closely with Vivekananda for years, including Yerra Gangi Reddy, Sunil Yadav, and Dastagir, were allegedly roped in to be part of their plan. Avinash has denied the allegations.