India News | Ex-Minister Murder Case: No Coercive Steps Against YSRCP MP Till Mar 13, T'gana HC to CBI

Hyderabad, Mar 10 (PTI) The Telangana High Court on Friday directed the CBI, which is probing the murder case of former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy that no coercive steps should be taken against YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha member Y S Avinash Reddy till March 13.

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Avinash Reddy, MP, from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, who today appeared (for the third time since January this year) before the CBI officials here in connection with Vivekananda Reddy's murder case, had earlier approached the High Court urging it to restrain the central agency from taking any coercive steps against him in the case and also requested the court for a stay on his further examination.

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Avinash Reddy, who is related to Vivekananda Reddy, had earlier appeared twice before CBI in January and February this year, after being issued summons by it.

The MP in the petition filed in the High Court alleged that the Investigating Officer (IO) is not conducting investigation in a fair and transparent manner by following due procedure laid down under the CrPC and also the principle laid down by the Apex Court.

In view of the allegation, the court instructed that the entire record has to be produced before it for perusal.

The court further directed the CBI to produce the relevant file/record in respect of the petitioner in a sealed cover and listed the matter on March 13.

Till then, the CBI was directed not to take any coercive steps against Avinash Reddy. However, the court made it clear that the petitioner shall appear before the IO in the case on March 14.

With regard to other allegations of Avinash Reddy, the CBI counsel submitted before the court that the Investigating Officer is examining the petitioner under coverage of Video and Audio Recording and that the petitioner's counsel has been permitted to be present near to the place of investigation.

On the allegation that a letter said to have been written by the deceased (Vivekananda Reddy) etc., the CBI counsel submitted that the said letter was sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory and report was obtained.

Vivekananda Reddy, is brother of the late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of incumbent CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. He was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula, on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the Assembly elections in the State.

The case was initially probed by a special investigation team (SIT) of the state crime investigation department, but was handed over to the CBI in July 2020.

The CBI had filed a charge sheet in the murder case on October 26, 2021 and followed it up with a supplementary charge sheet on January 31, 2022.

Speaking to reporters after appearing before the CBI, Avinash Reddy spoke about the motive for Vivekananda Reddy's murder and contended that it could be a "murder for gain".

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)