The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to cancel the bail granted to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP Y S Avinash Reddy and other accused in the high-profile Y S Vivekananda Reddy murder case, dismissing petitions filed by the victim’s daughter Sunitha Reddy seeking cancellation of their bail.
During the hearing, officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that they had filed a third supplementary chargesheet in the case and had completed their investigation.
The counsel representing Sunitha Reddy, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, argued that several crucial aspects raised by the petitioner had not been properly investigated.
However, the bench headed by Justice M M Sundresh observed that the petitioner could approach the trial court to seek access to all relevant documents and evidence related to the case.
The Supreme Court directed the trial court to complete hearings on all petitions filed under Section 207 of the Criminal Procedure Code within four weeks and deliver its orders.
Since the chargesheet filing process had been completed, the apex court held that there was no need to continue hearing the petitions seeking cancellation of bail.
Accordingly, the court dismissed the petitions filed both by Sunitha Reddy and by the investigating agency seeking cancellation of bail for the accused.
At the same time, the Supreme Court emphasised the need for expeditious completion of the trial and instructed the trial court to ensure that the proceedings move forward without delay.
The murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy, which took place in March 2019 in Kadapa district, has been one of the most politically sensitive criminal cases in the state, with allegations and counter-allegations involving prominent political leaders.