CBI has lots to do in Vivekananda Reddy murder case: Sunitha Reddy

Hyderabad: The CBI has a lot to do in its investigation into the murder of former Andhra Pradesh Minister, YS Vivekananda Reddy, his daughter Sunitha Reddy said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here, she claimed that the investigation agency is under pressure.

Asserting that she has been fighting a lonely battle for the last five years, Sunitha Reddy said she was still waiting for justice.

She made a power point presentation to highlight a few points with regard to her father’s murder case.

Sunitha Reddy gave a detailed account of what happened from the night when Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his house in Pulivendula till the next morning.

Sunitha Reddy revealed the phone call data, Google Takeout and IPDR data in support of her allegation that Kadapa MP, YS Avinash Reddy knew the accused and was in touch with them over phone.

Sunitha Reddy said the CBI, in its first charge sheet, named four accused – Erra Gangi Reddy (A1), Sunil Yadav (A2), Umashankar Reddy (A3) and Dastagiri (A4).

Sunitha claimed that Avinash Reddy knew both Gangi Reddy and Umashankar Reddy. Avinash Reddy had also posed for photographs with Sunil Yadav’s brother Kiran Yadav.

She said Avinash Reddy also had friendly relations with MV Krishna Reddy, who had worked as Vivekananda Reddy’s Personal Assistant.

She claimed to have details of a telephonic conversation between another accused in the case, Shivashankar Reddy and Krishna Reddy. Avinash Reddy is claiming that he does not know them but photographs, phone call data shows they knew each other, she said.

Stating that her father was a great leader, Sunitha alleged that Avinash became jealous as he felt that he couldn’t reach Vivekananda Reddy’s position.

Sunitha Reddy also claimed that the mobile phone of Avinash Reddy’s father and another accused in the case YS Bhaskar Reddy was switched off from March 14 to March 16.

She said there were phone calls between Avinash Reddy and Gangi Reddy at the time of the murder. She also showed visuals of Umashankar Reddy roaming around Vivekananda Reddy’s house, clippings of the news published in ‘Sakshi’ newspaper after the murder and the comments of YSR Congress Party leaders.

“After seeing all these, can anyone say that Vivekananda Reddy died of a heart attack,” she said referring to the claims made by some family members and YSRCP leaders soon after he was found dead.

Sunitha Reddy questioned Vivekananda Reddy’s sister Vimala Reddy for criticising her and Sharmila Reddy for airing their views publicly. She asked if this was Vimala Reddy’s love for her slain brother.

“She should know that I am both daughter and son of my father,” she said.

Sunitha Reddy said she was ready to speak to anyone including Jagan Mohan Reddy for justice.

She recalled that she spoke to him a few times but later he did not give her an appointment. She said she even wrote letters to him for the appointment.

Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, just weeks before the elections.

The CBI had claimed that there was a conspiracy to kill Vivekananda Reddy as he was not in favour of YSRCP fielding Avinash Reddy as the candidate from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat.

Vivekananda Reddy reportedly wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to field the latter’s sister Sharmila or mother YS Vijayamma as the party candidate.

Avinash Reddy, who was elected from Kadapa in 2019, has been re-nominated as YSR Congress candidate for next month’s polls.

Sharmila, who is now the President of Andhra Pradesh unit of the Congress, has entered the fray with a vow to stop a ‘killer’ from entering the legislature.

She had also publicly criticised her brother Jagan Mohan Reddy for shielding the murder accused and for promoting politics of murder.