YS Viveka Murder: YS Sharmila hints at 'political motive' behind his uncle's murder

Andhra Pradesh: YS Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was named by the CBI as one of the witnesses in her uncle and former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case, hinted that it could have been for political reasons.

The CBI which is probing the case named YSRCP Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy and his father YS Bhaskar Reddy as accused No 8 and 7 respectively in the second supplementary final report filed in local CBI court on June 30. The statement has been submitted as part of the second and final chargesheet in the case.

"He (Vivekananda Reddy) was not murdered for any financial or personal reasons but it was a big reason to murder him. It was political in my view," the CBI report quoted Sharmila as saying.

According to Sharmila's statement, Vivekananda Reddy, two months before his murder visited her residence and convinced her, though initially she showed reluctance, to contest the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, which is represented by Avinash Reddy.

Sharmila, former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy's daughter, said she thought that Avinash Reddy and his father might have kept in mind that Vivekananda Reddy was coming in their way and "it may be a political murder or motive."

Sharmila also expressed doubts that Avinash Reddy and his father "might be the reason" for the defeat of Vivekananda Reddy in the 2017 MLC elections in AP. Sharmila, who actively campaigned for her brother Jagan during the 2019 Assembly polls, floated her own political outfit YSR Telangana Party in 2021.

During investigation the experts have opined that the accused forced Viveka to write a false note mentioning that his driver Prasad had beaten him badly and he should not be spared. The said letter was written in the handwriting of Viveka Further, after examination of the said letter, CFSL, New Delhi has opined that the said letter was written by Viveka under mental condition of extreme stress. "Vivekananda Reddy wanted that MP ticket from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency should either be given to himself of YS Sharmila or YS Vijayamma (mother of Jagan Mohan Reddy) instead of Avinash Reddy (A-8), incumbent Lok Sabha MP. Moreover, Vivekananda Reddy believed that Avinash Reddy was a weak candidate for MP Kadapa and therefore he wanted that Avinash should be given MLA ticket from Jammalamadugu / 22 /145 Assembly constituency instead of MP ticket from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency," the chargesheet read.

Accordingly, YS Vivekananda Reddy got convinced Sharmila to contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.

The CBI investigation revealed that the political move YS Vivekananda Reddy was a hinderance in the coming elections for YS Avinash Reddy as he was being proposed to contest as MLA candidate instead of MP from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency. Therefore, in order to thwart the plan of Vivekananda Reddy, a criminal conspiracy was hatched with the help of D. Siva Shankar Reddy (A-5) who was an associate of YS Bhaskar Reddy (A-7) and Y. S. Avinash Reddy, besides having criminal antecedent, to get eliminated YS Vivekananda Reddy.

Avinash Reddy, who appeared before the central agency on June 3, was arrested by the CBI and released on bail the same day after fulfilling certain formalities as he was granted anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court.

The CBI, in the charge sheet said the agency requested the US authorities, through the Home Ministry, on some technical issues regarding the WI-Fi router installed in the residence of the deceased.

The investigating agency also said during the investigations some mobile phones were seized and sent to the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing Trivandrum for forensic analysis which was awaited.

Vivekananda Reddy, one of the brothers of the late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula in Kadapa district on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the Assembly elections in the state.

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.

Inputs from PTI