Jagan’s cousin meets Andhra Home Minister, seeks justice in father’s murder case

Amaravati: Y. S. Sunitha Reddy on Wednesday called on Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha and sought justice in the murder case of her father and former Andhra Pradesh minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy.

Sunitha Reddy, the cousin of the former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President (YSRCP) Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, met the Home Minister here and explained to her the details of the five-year-old case.

Sunitha told the minister that during the YSRCP rule, some local police officers shielded the killers and demanded action against them.

Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter alleged that during the investigation into the murder, some police officers tried to dilute the case. She said false cases were booked against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers probing the case and the witnesses were threatened.

The Home Minister told Sunita that since the case is being investigated by the CBI, the state government will extend all cooperation with the central agency. She claimed that the government is working with sincerity to ensure that the guilty are punished. She also assured her that the policemen involved in wrongdoings would not be spared.

During the recent elections, Sunitha Reddy had appealed to people to defeat Jagan Mohan Reddy while accusing him of protecting the accused in the murder case.

In Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, Sunitha Reddy had backed state Congress chief and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sister Y. S. Sharmila, who had contested as Congress candidate against their cousin and YSRCP candidate Y. S. Avinash Reddy, an accused in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case.

Avinash Reddy, who was named as an accused by the CBI last year, was re-elected from Kadapa.

During the campaigning, Sunitha Reddy had alleged that the CBI investigations into her father’s murder had come to a standstill and claimed that there was pressure on the investigating agency.

She alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy was shielding Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy and his son Avinash Reddy, who are accused in the case.

Former minister and former MP, Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula town of Kadapa district on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections. He was alone at his residence.

In April last year, the CBI arrested Vivekananda Reddy’s cousin Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy, father of Avinash Reddy.

The CBI claimed that both Avinash and Bhaskar Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy because he was against fielding Avinash Reddy from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to instead field his mother Vijayamma or sister Sharmila. However, the father-son duo denied the allegation.

Avinash Reddy was granted anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court on May 31, 2023.