In a significant development in the 2019 murder case of former Congress MP Y S Vivekananda Reddy, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to various parties on pleas seeking the cancellation of bail granted to key suspects by the Telangana High Court.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar responded to the submissions presented by the counsel for the CBI and advocate Jesal Wahi, who represents Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of the deceased. The pleas challenge the High Court’s decision to grant bail to Gajjala Uday Kumar Reddy, a close associate of Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy from the YSR Congress party. Suneetha’s plea criticizes the August 21, 2024, High Court order that allowed Gajjala’s release on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh along with two sureties of an equal amount.
The pleas allege that Gajjala was instrumental in the destruction of vital evidence and played a role in lodging a false FIR against a CBI officer investigating the case. “There are grave and serious allegations made against the respondent number 1 as he is found to be one of the conspirators to the murder of the deceased as well as instrumental in destruction of vital evidence,” stated Suneetha’s plea.
The court’s decision to review these bail orders comes at a critical juncture, just as the trial was about to commence. This move indicates the court’s intention to ensure that the judicial process is not undermined by potential tampering or intimidation of witnesses.
In December last year, the Supreme Court had also sought responses from the CBI and Y S Bhaskar Reddy, the father of YS Avinash Reddy, regarding the bail granted to Bhaskar in the same murder case. Additionally, the top court has taken up multiple petitions related to the case, including challenges to the bail orders and allegations of witness intimidation.
The murder of Vivekananda Reddy, who was the uncle of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been marred by political intrigue and allegations of a complex conspiracy, prompting the transfer of the case from the state police to the CBI in 2020. The case has seen numerous twists and turns, especially given its timing just weeks before the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections in 2019.
