A court in Anantapur district on Thursday sentenced eight persons to life imprisonment for the 2005 murder of Telugu Desam Party leader Paritala Ravindra. One of the accused,Rama Mohan Reddy who had turned approver,and four others were acquitted for lack of evidence. The court convicted Panduga Narayana Reddy,Vallupalli Rekhamaiah,Ranganayakulu,Vadde Konda,Vadde Seena,Medimi Obi Reddy,Peddi Reddy and Vanna Hanumantha Reddy and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Paritala Ravindra,a former minister and factional leader of Rayalaseema,was gunned down inside the TDP office in Anantapur on January 24,2005. The case was transferred to the CBI on February 3,2005. The probe was conducted by the CBI,Special Crimes Branch,Chennai. Since then the case took several twists and turns. Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Maddalacheruvu Suri,one of the main accused,was shot dead on January 3,2011 by business associate Bhanu Kiran. On November 9,2008,another accused,Julakanti Srinivasa Reddy alias Moddu Seenu,was murdered in his cell by another undertrial. The CBI filed a chargesheet on April 26,2005 against 13 accused,including Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri,Julakanti Srinivasa Reddy alias Moddu Seenu and Panduga Narayana Reddy. The CBI said Julakanti Srinivasa Reddy,Panduga Narayana Reddy and V Rekhamaiah had shot Paritala Ravindra inside the TDP office. Their associates then threw bombs in order to facilitate their escape.
