Hyderabad, April 16 (). A Hyderabad court on Sunday acquitted Andhra politician Y.S. Bhaskara Reddy was succeeded in 2019 by cousin and former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Sent to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the murder of Vivekananda Reddy.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which arrested Bhaskar Reddy from Pulivendula town in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Sunday, brought him to Hyderabad and produced him before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody till April 29.
Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy’s father Bhaskar Reddy was sent to Chanchalguda Central Jail.
Before producing Bhaskar Reddy at the Magistrate’s residence, the CBI took him to Osmania General Hospital for medical examination. His blood pressure was found to be high.
His lawyers informed the magistrate about his ill health. The magistrate asked the jail superintendents to show the medical certificate for appropriate action.
Amid high drama, the CBI arrested Bhaskar Reddy in the early hours of Sunday from his residence in Pulivendula town.
A team of CBI officials went to his residence and handed over a memorandum to his family members, informing them that they were arresting him under sections 120B read with 302 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
A large number of supporters had gathered at Bhaskar Reddy’s residence at the time of his arrest. When he was being taken to Hyderabad, some supporters allegedly tried to stop the vehicle.
Later supporters of Bhaskar Reddy and Avinash Reddy took out a rally in the town to protest against the arrest. Shops and business establishments remained closed.
Avinash Reddy, who reached Pulivendula from Hyderabad, alleged that the CBI ignored vital facts in the case to project him as an accused in the case.
Bhaskar Reddy’s arrest by the police Avinash Reddy’s close aide G. This happened two days after Udaya Kumar Reddy was arrested.
The CBI has accelerated the pace of investigation after the Supreme Court last week directed the agency to set up a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) and complete the investigation by April 30.
Vivekananda Reddy, former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s brother and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Jagan was Mohan Reddy’s uncle. He was found dead at his residence at Pulivendula in Kadapa district on the night of March 15, 2019, a few days before the elections.
The 68-year-old former state minister and ex-MP was alone at his house when unknown people barged into his house 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 Sunita Reddy, daughter of Vivekananda Reddy. The agency had raised suspicion on some relatives.
The Supreme Court had in November last year transferred the case to Hyderabad and said that the doubts raised by Sunitha Reddy about fair trial and investigation in Andhra Pradesh were justified.
In an affidavit filed in the Telangana High Court in February opposing the bail plea of one of the accused, Sunil Yadav, the CBI had claimed that Avinash Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy and their associate D. Sivasankar Reddy killed Vivekananda Reddy because of conflicting political ambitions. had hatched a criminal conspiracy.
Avinash Reddy and Bhaskar Reddy reportedly had a grudge against Vivekananda Reddy after the latter opposed YSRCP’s fielding of Avinash Reddy as the party’s candidate from the Cuddapah Lok Sabha constituency. The former minister wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy, his sister Y.S. Sharmila or mother Y.S. Vijayamma should be made the candidate.
The CBI claimed that Rs 40 crore was offered to the other accused to carry out the murder.
The probe agency also said in its counter that Vivekananda Reddy was not happy with his brother Bhaskar Reddy and nephew Avinash Reddy as they sabotaged his chances in the 2017 MLC elections in Kadapa.
Avinash Reddy and his father wanted to field Sivasankar as the MLC candidate, but when Jagan Mohan Reddy fielded Vivekananda Reddy, all three were involved in ensuring his defeat.
SGK
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