SC asks CBI to produce charge sheet, police records in Vivekananda Reddy murder case

SC directs CBI to file charge sheet in Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy murder case, directs the probing agency to reply to petition challenging anticipatory bail granted to Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (July 18) directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to place on record its charge sheet and the police records in the case of murder former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy in 2019.

A Bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna also directed the Central agency to file its reply to a petition filed by Suneetha Narreddy, the daughter of the slain Minister, challenging the anticipatory bail granted by the Telangana High Court to Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, whose alleged role in the crime is under investigation.

The CBI charge sheet was filed on June 30, the deadline stipulated by the Supreme Court to complete the probe.

The Bench listed the case for hearing on September 11.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra and advocate Jesal Wahi for Ms. Narreddy had accused Avinash Reddy of refusing to join the CBI probe despite repeated notices to appear for questioning.

He had argued that the Telangana High Court had held a “mini-trial” and made comments on the merits of the prosecution case “virtually accepting” Avinash Reddy’s narrative while “disregarding the evidence collected by the CBI”, completely in contravention of the law laid down by the Supreme Court that merits of the case cannot be discussed while hearing a bail plea.

“We want the anticipatory bail to be dismissed,” Mr. Luthra had stressed.