Former Member of Parliament from Kadapa Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy was found murdered at his ancestral home at Pulivendula in Kadapa district in the early hours of March 15, 2019, when the general elections were round the corner.
As the younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and as a representative in his absence from the constituency, ‘Viveka’, as he used to be fondly referred to, had wielded enough clout in the entire district.
His murder had created a sensation at that time, and the ‘sentimental wave’ generated among the masses helped catapult the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), founded by his nephew and YSR’s son Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, to power.
It was initially publicised as a case of heart attack, but it later emerged to be a case of murder in his bathroom.
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When the then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government in power had formed two Special Investigation Teams (SIT) to get the case probed, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, as Leader of the Opposition then, insisted on a comprehensive probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
However, after coming to power, instead of approaching the CBI, the YSRCP government constituted another SIT to probe the case. It was only at a later stage in March 2020 that the case was handed over to the CBI.
Taking over the case from the SIT, the CBI had grilled as many as 290 witnesses and filed its first chargesheet in October 2021, in which it named Viveka’s close friend Yerra Gangi Reddy, G. Umashankar Reddy, Y. Sunil Kumar Yadav and Shaik Dastagiri as the accused.
Dastagiri, however, chose to turn an approver in the case and presented himself in Proddatur magistrate’s court, where his statement was recorded.
The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet on June 31, 2023, based on which Devireddy Sivashankar Reddy, Uday Kumar Reddy and Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy were arrested.
Though Kadapa Member of Parliament Y.S. Avinash Reddy was also questioned by the CBI several times, he was not arrested owing to the conditional anticipatory bail granted by the Telangana High Court in May 2023.
It was then that the slain leader’s daughter Suneetha Narreddy entered the picture by challenging the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court.
Dr. Suneetha had persistently been writing letters to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Home Ministry and the CBI Director since December 2020, requesting them to expedite the case, which is pending in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Devireddy Sivashankar Reddy was recently granted conditional bail and released. Similarly, Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy also came out on bail on medical grounds. He, however, went back to the jail after the bail window ended.
Days ahead of the 2024 general elections, charges and counter accusations are still being made.
Dr. Suneetha and her cousin Y.S. Sharmila Reddy, who is the younger sister of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, have squarely blamed the incumbent MP Mr. Avinash Reddy and his father Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy of having connived to eliminate Viveka.
Mr. Avinash condemned the same, and said he had no role whatsoever in the murder.
Mr. Avinash told The Hindu that Vivekananda Reddy had already been campaigning for him in the constituency as his (Avinash’s) candidature was confirmed (but not announced by then), expressing wonder where was the need to harm him.
Meanwhile, the approver, Dastagiri, was jailed multiple times in different cases. His wife had even staged a demonstration in front of the central prison and several police stations, fearing threat to his life.
It was then that Jada Shravan, advocate and chief of Jai Bheem Party, secured bail for Dastagiri, who returned the favour by joining the party.
Dastagiri later announced to contest against Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy in Pulivendula constituency, and is actively campaigning now.
On March 15, 2024, commemorating Viveka’s fifth death anniversary, leaders from across the political spectrum such as the TDP, the BJP, the Jana Sena Party, the Congress and the Left parties arrived to pay tributes and also expressed support to the legal fight launched by Dr. Suneetha.
Having taken over the reins of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Ms. Sharmila declared her candidature for Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, announcing that it was her slain paternal uncle’s dream to see her in the position.
Meanwhile, a film, ‘Vivekam’, based on the murder case, was recently released on multiple social media platforms. It was widely promoted by the opposition parties. Claiming to be based on the CBI case records, the film also bagged critical acclaim.
As the elections are fast approaching, the opposition parties have left no chance to point an accusing finger at the YSRCP government for what they called inordinate delay in taking the case to its logical end.
