The Supreme Court on Tuesday shifted the trial in the 2019 case of murder of former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy from Kadappa to Special CBI Court Hyderabad, saying that "it is a fit case for transfer to a state other than AP''.
Vivekananda Reddy is the uncle of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A bench presided over by Justice M R Shah allowed a petition filed by Dr Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of the deceased, seeking transfer of the case.
The top court also ordered the CBI to complete the investigation with regard to the larger conspiracy at the earliest "in an independent and unbiased manner".
Suneetha had approached the Supreme Court seeking a detailed investigation into her father’s murder and transfer of trial.
Pronouncing the order, the bench said it cannot be said that the apprehension of the petitioner that there may not be a fair trial or that there is a larger conspiracy is imaginary.
"The petitioner has the fundamental right to get justice," the court said.
"This is a fit case to transfer the state other than the state of Andhra Pradesh, as justice need not only be done but also seen to be done," the bench added.
The court said for the ease of witnesses, the case would be transferred to the CBI Special Court in Hyderabad.
All the chargesheet and supplementary chargesheet will be transferred there. The FIR on larger conspiracy and destruction of evidence to be probed by the CBI, it ordered.
Vivekananda Reddy was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his home in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019.
In March, 2020, the case was handed over to the CBI by the High Court.
(Published 29 November 2022, 07:10 IST)
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