The probe into the murder of former MP and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy appears to be going nowhere.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing to the second week of September on the petition filed by Viveka’s daughter Narreddy Sunitha Reddy seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to YSR Congress party MP from Kadapa Y S Avinash Reddy on May 31.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which was probing the case, did not challenge the high court judgement at all; and when Sunitha filed a petition seeking cancellation of bail to Avinash Reddy, the CBI sought more time to file a counter affidavit.
Describing the murder of Viveka as a very serious case, the Supreme Court asked the CBI to submit the second charge sheet and also the entire original file of the probe done so far in a sealed cover.
The apex court turned down the plea of the lawyer of Yerra Gangi Reddy, one of the accused, requesting that the hearing of his bail petition be heard urgently. The court, however, said it would hear the petitions on the bail of Avinash Reddy and that of Gangi Reddy together.
It may be mentioned that the Supreme Court had directed the CBI in the past to complete the investigation into Viveka murder case in all angles by June 30, so that the trial would be completed at the earliest.
But the CBI failed to stick to the deadline, as Avinash Reddy continued to dodge the arrest by moving the courts and stalling the probe. Finally, on May 31, he managed to get the anticipatory bail from the Telangana high court.
Justice Laxman Rao of the Telangana high court said the CBI had failed to produce any evidence to prove the interference of Avinash Reddy in the investigation and that he was involved in tampering of evidence and threatening the witnesses, except the allegation that he had tried to destroy scene of offence.
“The gravity of accusation (against the MP) has not yet been clearly brought on record by the CBI so far. The entire case against him rests upon hearsay evidence and assumptive evidence and no direct evidence is available against him to prove his participation in larger conspiracy,” the judge said.
The court found fault with the investigating officer for not registering the FIR under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, even after observing multiple injuries over the body of Vivekananda Reddy, but registered under Section 174 of Criminal Procedure Code(Suspicious death).