YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha MP from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, Y S Avinash Reddy on Thursday appeared before the CBI here in connection with the murder of former state Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy in 2019.
After being issued summons by the CBI for the second time, Avinash Reddy appeared before the central agency, which is probing the murder case.
Avinash Reddy, who is related to Vivekananda Reddy, had earlier appeared before the central agency in January. Speaking to reporters after appearing before the CBI, the MP said he was called by the agency through a notice served under section 160 CrPC.
"Whatever the CBI IO (Investigating Officer) asked, I gave answers to the best of my memory and to the best of my knowledge. I stand by what I had said to the media on the day after the death of Vivekananda Reddy”, Avinash Reddy said.
Avinash, cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, said the reporters should act in a responsible manner over their coverage of the case.
Vivekananda Reddy was the brother of the late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of incumbent AP CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. He was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula, the constituency now represented by his nephew, on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the state Assembly elections.
Avinash Reddy further said he submitted a representation to the CBI on the "facts" he knew and sought a comprehensive investigation into it as well.
Asked about the CBI counter affidavit filed in the High Court opposing the bail of one of the accused in the murder case, Avinash Reddy said he told them what he knew.
He said the ongoing investigation should proceed with the objective of ascertaining the truth rather than what he claimed as “investigation targetting a person”.
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 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.
The CBI affidavit had said, “Investigation further revealed that YS Avinash Reddy along with other persons, after entering the house of Vivekananda Reddy saw his body lying in a pool of blood in the bathroom, conveyed to a local political leader that Vivekananda Reddy died due to heart attack.”
Y S Avinash Reddy also informed police that Vivekananda Reddy died due to a heart attack and blood vomiting.
"It indicates that he deliberately intended to conceal the design of murder of Vivekananda Reddy. It also indicates that as a part of the conspiracy, fake story of heart attack and blood vomiting was floated in a pre-meditated manner to give it a colour of natural death,” the affidavit said.