In a major breakthrough in the sensational murder case of former Member of Parliament Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, the Central Bureau of Investigation apprehended an important witness, Sunil Yadav, in Goa on Monday night.
Mr. Yadav, learnt to be having long-term association with the Viveka family, was grilled a number of times by the CBI team that had camped in Kadapa district for over a month.
After this, he approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court and sought protection from being arrested by the CBI. In response to Mr. Yadav’s plea, the CBI also filed a counter in the High Court stating that the investigation was progressing in tune with the norms and held that the petitioner was trying to mislead the officials.
The CBI also submitted to the court that there was enough evidence against Mr. Yadav. After moving the court, Mr. Yadav and his family members went undergound and remained inaccessible to the police.
It may be recalled that Mr. Vivekananda Reddy, paternal uncle of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was found dead in his Pulivendula house on March 15, 2019 just ahead of the general elections. Though initially revealed as death due to heart attack, the police later recognised it as a case of murder.
As such, the issue provided enough fodder for the then ruling TDP regime and the opposition YSR Congress Party for levelling charges against each other. There was little breakthrough over the years in spite of a lot of action on the ground by the CBI. The probe picked up momentum over the last few weeks after the officials started questioning Mr. Reddy’s former driver Dastagiri.
The police produced Mr. Yadav and his family members in a local court in Goa and obtained a transit warrant to bring them to Kadapa for further investigation. He is expected to be produced in Kadapa court on Wednesday.
