CBI arrests Andhra CM Jagan Reddy’s uncle Bhaskar in ex-MP Vivekananda’s murder case

Vivekananda, 68, the younger brother of Jagan’s father and late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was found in a pool of blood, with stab injuries, on March 15, 2019 at his residence in Kadapa district’s Pulivendula. Bhaskar Reddy is the paternal cousin of both Rajasekhara Reddy and Vivekananda.

The CBI speeded up the probe in the case after the Supreme Court formed a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) last week and directed it to complete the investigation by April 30.

Officials said a CBI team reached Bhaskar Reddy’s house on Sunday morning with an arrest memo and issued it to his wife Y S Lakshmi. The central agency also seized Bhaskar’s phone.

On Friday, the CBI arrested Uday Reddy, an aide of MP Avinash Reddy, and questioned him in Hyderabad.

In March, the agency submitted a memo opposing the bail petition of Sunil Yadav, an accused in the case, in which it alleged that Bhaskar Reddy and his son Avinash Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy over political dominance in Kadapa. The two were unhappy that even though they defeated Vivekananda in the MLC elections, he had started consolidating his political power in the region.

They allegedly hired staff – including Y Gangi Reddy, R Dastagir and Sunil Yadav – who worked for Vivekananda and reported his movements to Avinash Reddy. The CBI stated that Avinash and his father hatched the conspiracy to eliminate Vivekananda and then erased evidence and sheltered the accused. Avinash Reddy has been questioned by the CBI three times in connection with the case although he has maintained that he had nothing to do with the murder.