Andhra HC Orders CBI Probe into CM Jagan’s Uncle’s Murder

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter@@ians_india)

Expressing displeasure over the “tardy” investigation by state police, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday ordered a CBI probe into the murder of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy in 2019.

Justice Durga Prasad passed the order on a petition filed by Vivekananda Reddy's wife Soubhagyamma and daughter Sunita.

Rapping the state police for the “tardy” probe, the court asked CBI to probe the case as early as possible.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as the then opposition leader too filed a petition seeking a CBI probe into his uncle's murder but withdrew it after he became Chief Minister.

Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of former Chief Minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was found murdered in his residence at their hometown Pulivendula on 15 March, 2019.

Viveka, as he was popularly called, served as an MP from Kadapa twice and as Agriculture Minister in the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the then unified Andhra Pradesh.

The then TDP government set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the murder and subsequently another SIT, headed by an Additional Director General of Police, was also constituted.

Police examined over 1,300 witnesses and conducted narco analysis on three suspects. Three aides of Vivekananda were arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence at the scene of offence.

However, the culprits could not be traced. In this backdrop,the court ordered a CBI inquiry.