Viveka’s murder case: YS Sunitha demands Avinash Reddy’s arrest, blames Jagan for delay

New Delhi: Dr YS Sunitha, the daughter of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy, voiced her displeasure with the protracted investigation into her father’s murder case. “For the past five years, I have been striving for justice. I’m not bothered by anyone. I need a judgment in the people’s court,” Sunitha said while addressing the media here on Friday.

Sunitha, while saying that usually in murder cases the accused is found within four to five days, said that even after five years have passed, the accused in Vivekananda Reddy’s case remains unidentified. “My father contested in the 2017 MLC elections and was defeated by his own people. Even then he was not disappointed and became active in politics,” she said, and thanked her sister and APCC president, YS Sharmila, for standing with her from day one.

Sunitha questions Jagan

“On March 15, 2019, after my father’s murder, YS Avinash Reddy talked to me near the mortuary and told me that Vivekananda Reddy had campaigned for him until 11:30 pm. The accused was staying along with me but we were unable to see them. What message does it serve if the accused in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder case is freed? Why is the CBI investigation not complete? How was YS Jagan aware that my father was killed with a weapon? It should be disclosed to the public,” Sunitha said.

Sunitha alleged that AP chief minister YS Jagan was shielding Avinash Reddy and his father YS Bhaskar Reddy from being held responsible for her father’s death. “Avinash Reddy should be punished for his hypocrisy and fraud. Justice for my father will not be served if the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) retakes power. If YS Jagan is elected chief minister once more, the problems will only get worse,” she said and urged the people not to vote for the YSRCP in the forthcoming elections as political murders have increased in the state.

‘Lot more names to come out’

“Being my brother and the state’s chief minister, I initially contacted YS Jagan. He first assured me that he would stop at nothing to see to it that justice is served in my father’s murder case. When I requested a CBI inquiry again, YS Jagan responded by saying, ‘If you approach the CBI, Avinash Reddy will join the BJP’,” Sunitha said and added that consequently, she decided to file a complaint with the CBI herself.

She also stated that there are still a lot of identities that need to be revealed in this case, with eight known to date. An investigation should be done into YS Jagan as well. If it turns out that he is innocent, he should be let go, and the real offenders should face harsh penalties, she added.

Sunitha undecided on political entry

Sunitha continued to accuse the CBI of delaying the inquiry and recounted what happened on the day when YS Avinash Reddy was being questioned in Kurnool by the CBI. A dramatic incident occurred in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, on May 22, 2023, when YS Avinash Reddy, the MP for Kadapa YSRCP, resisted arrest attempts by sleuths of the CBI.

However, the police arrested him later and the court sent him for judicial custody, she said. She also mentioned that there are eleven cases against YS Jagan and said she was afraid that, like previous cases, the murder case of Vivekananda would be overlooked. On her political entry, Sunitha said that she is yet to take a call on her political entry and contest in the elections.