Supreme Court Issues Notices to YS Bhaskar Reddy

The Supreme Court has issued notices to YS Bhaskar Reddy, who is an accused in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case. The Telangana High Court had previously granted bail to Bhaskar Reddy, prompting the CBI to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court. Following this, Vivekananda Reddy's daughter, Sunita, filed another petition against the cancellation of Bhaskar Reddy's bail. On Friday, a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna heard the matter and issued notices to both Bhaskar Reddy and the CBI. The bench combined Sunitha's petition with the CBI's bail cancellation petition and adjourned the next hearing to the first week of March.

Currently, the CBI is investigating the murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy. Despite almost five years having passed since the murder, there remains no official clarity on who is responsible for this crime. The final verdict from the court will clarify these matters once the investigation is complete. The CBI has been looking into the case for an extended period. After the arrest of Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy's father, Bhaskar Reddy, the pace of the investigation appeared to slow. The CBI previously filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking to cancel Bhaskar Reddy's bail, which was heard by the bench led by CJI Sanjeev Khanna on November 29. Notices were then issued to Bhaskar Reddy, and the next hearing was postponed until March.

CBI officials attempted to apprehend YS Bhaskar Reddy's son and Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy, who is also facing charges as an accused in the Vivekananda Reddy murder case, but they were unsuccessful. However, after Avinash obtained anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court, the pursuit of his arrest was dropped. There remains widespread speculation about the motives behind Vivekananda Reddy's murder, who was involved, and who orchestrated it. According to legal procedures, once the investigation is concluded and evidence is submitted to the court, the identities of the culprits will be officially revealed with the court's verdict.

The CBI investigation seemed to stall before the general elections, possibly to avoid interfering with the electoral process. Although the CBI has been striving to apprehend the actual perpetrators for the past five years, allegations have surfaced that the previous YSRCP government obstructed the investigation. Critics claim that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy attempted to shield those accused. There have been accusations that Jagan conspired to hinder proper investigation, and instances have occurred where cases were filed against CBI officials. It appears that the previous YSRCP administration aimed to undermine the morale and confidence of the investigative officers. With the YSRCP currently out of power and Jagan losing public support, there are indications that the CBI may intensify its investigation into the Vivekananda Reddy murder case.

*Concerns Over Political Protection of the Accused*

When the YSRCP took power in 2019, public confidence in the state's investigation agencies diminished. Consequently, Sunitha, Vivekananda’s daughter, approached the court fearing that the government might protect the accused. This led to the court assigning the case investigation to the CBI. Many expected that the CBI’s inquiry would reveal the truth, and reports suggested that preliminary evidence indicated Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy's involvement in the murder, based on data from Google and a timeline. Despite this, Avinash Reddy has not yet been arrested. There are ongoing discussions that CM Jaganmohan Reddy is offering protection to Avinash Reddy. If Avinash is detained and interrogated by the CBI, there is a potential for significant revelations. Such developments could implicate former CM Jagan and his wife, Bharathi, posing a threat to the political future of the YSRCP. Some witnesses and accused individuals have already stated that the murder was motivated by the desire for an MP ticket. Consequently, it appears that Jagan is siding with the accused, as the exposure of these facts could jeopardize the political standing of both the YSRCP and himself.