Inherently contradictory: CBI to SC on Telangana High Court order

New Delhi: The CBI on Wednesday termed the Telangana High Court’s grant of bail to an accused in the murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy “inherently contradictory” as it told the Supreme Court it supported a plea challenging this verdict.

A vacation bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Pankaj Mithal was hearing a petition filed by Reddy’s daughter, Suneetha Narreddy, challenging the High Court order granting conditional bail to T Gangi Reddy alias Yerra Gangi Reddy, even as it allowed a plea for its cancellation. “We have never heard of it that the order which cancels the bail allows the bail. How is it possible? Inherently contradictory,” additional solicitor general (ASG) Sanjay Jain, appearing for the CBI, told the bench.

The court on May 18 had issued notices to the CBI and the accused on the plea against the High Court order.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Narreddy Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of the deceased former minister, submitted that in a cancellation of bail, how can bail be granted.

Jain submitted that he is supporting Suneetha’s plea against the bail order and informed the bench that the investigating agency will file its counter affidavit by Thursday.

As the top court said it will pass a balanced order, Jain urged it to schedule the matter for hearing on Friday.

The top court referred to the last portion of the High Court’s order, directing the trial court to enlarge the accused on bail on July 1 on his executing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties of the same amount each. Jain said it annihilates the whole order.

Counsel, representing the accused, submitted that they have filed a plea challenging the order passed by the High Court on April 27, cancelling the bail. After hearing submissions, the top court said it will take up both matters together on May 26.

The Telangana High Court on April 27 cancelled the bail of Yerra Gangi Reddy, the prime accused in the murder case of former Vivekananda Reddy. It directed him to surrender before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court by May 5. The court also clarified that if the accused failed to surrender, the CBI may arrest him.

It ruled that as the CBI is scheduled to complete the hearing on June 30, Gangi Reddy may be granted bail on July 1 on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.

The Supreme Court had recently extended the deadline for completing the investigation into the sensational case till June 30. Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019