Andhra Pradesh High Court hand overs Jaganmohan Reddy uncle murder case to CBI

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday has ordered for the transfer of the murder case of YS Vivekananda Reddy, uncle of chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy, to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The order puts Jagan in an uneasy situation since his government has been arguing against the handing over of the case presently dealt by the state police’s Special Investigation Team. The order has personal repercussions too as Jagan had last month withdrew his earlier petition seeking case probe by a central investigation agency.

The brutal murder of late CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy's brother and former Kadapa MP on March 15 in Pulivendula, just a month before the last year assembly elections, had shocked the state. The motive of the murder and the culprits is still not established.

Jagan, as opposition leader then, had alleged involvement of the ruling TDP and demanded a CBI probe. He met the AP governor in this regard and filed a writ petition in the high court, seeking the central probe agency’s takeover of the case.

Jagan became the CM two months later but the case continued to be dealt with by the SIT. In fact, the team was reconstituted by his government adding to apprehensions about the case’s progress.

In her January petition before the court, Dr Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of Vivekananda and cousin of Jagan had questioned the non-progress of the case under the SIT and insisted on a CBI probe. She also raised suspicion about the conduct of 15 people in relation to the incident, which includes Y S Avinash Reddy, the current Kadapa MP.

During the arguments, Dr Suneetha and her mother YS Sowbhagyamma objected to Jagan’s departure from his own demand.

Though the government counsel stated that the SIT is in the final stages of cracking the case, the HC has reportedly disapproved the claim and gave the case to CBI days ahead of Viveka’s death anniversary.