Telangana YSRTP chief YS Sharmila has told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that her paternal uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy was murdered on March 15, 2019, for a political reason. Sharmila’s statement that he insisted that Sharmila contest for the 2019 MP seat from Kadapa and that he didn’t want YS Avinash Reddy, the main accused in Vivekananda’s murder to get a ticket, is crucial for the CBI to establish motive in the case. The statement has been submitted as part of the second and final chargesheet in the case.
The CBI’s case is that Avinash Reddy (second cousin of Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and Sharmila) and his father Bhaskar conspired to eliminate Vivekananda due to a long-running political rivalry which worsened over the Kadapa MP seat in 2019. The father-son duo allegedly planned the murder with their aide D Siva Shankar Reddy and a few of Vivekananda’s closest aides including Yerra Gangi Reddy, Sunil Yadav, and Dastagir.
Sharmila said in her deposition that Vivekananda was against Avinash or his family contesting for the Kadape seat. She said that Vivekananda Reddy was unwilling to contest himself as he was perhaps diffident after his loss in MLC polls. She said that though she was initially skeptical about the idea of contesting for the Kadapa seat because she was unsure of Jagan’s support, she agreed after her uncle repeatedly insisted. “They might have kept this in their heart that this person (Vivekananda) was coming in their way. It may be a political murder or motive,” she added.
Sharmila has gone on to say that Vivekananda Reddy was killed for a political reason. She told the CBI, “He was not murdered for any financial or personal reason but it was a big reason to murder him. He was not willing to contest for the MP seat because he didn’t think he would get the seat.”
Sharmila also told the CBI that YS Avinash Reddy, his father Bhasker Reddy and his uncle Manohar Reddy were responsible for Vivekananda’s defeat in the MLC elections in although she was unclear on who else caused the defeat. Eventually it was Avinash Reddy who contested from Kadapa and he won the seat.
When Vivekananda Reddy died, it was passed off as a heart attack for a while. However, Vivekananda’s daughter Suneetha was convinced that her father was killed and she told the Andhra Pradesh High Court to allow for a CBI enquiry as she claimed that AP CM Jagan was unwilling to pursue it. The CBI took over the investigation of the case in July, 2020.
After four years of investigation, the CBI indicted Avinash and Bhasker Reddy as well as some of Vivekananda’s closest aides for conspiracy, murder and cover-up. Avinash Reddy has however maintained that he and his father are innocent and the case was concocted by the CBI.