AP: Jagan’s cousin appeals to people to defeat him, support her fight for justice

Amaravati: Alleging that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is protecting the accused in the murder of his uncle and former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, the latter’s daughter Y. S. Sunitha Reddy on Friday appealed to people to defeat him in the coming elections.

Addressing a news conference in Delhi, she appealed to people to defeat the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and support her fight for justice.

“Please do not vote for and bring my brother’s party into power. If that happens ,there will be no hope for justice,” said Sunitha Reddy, who has been fighting for justice in the murder case for the last five years.

She alleged that the YSRCP government encouraged the politics of murder.

“You don’t want murderers to be ruling you. You need a healthy democracy. You need a government that helps improve society and help uplift the society in all aspects.”

Stating that the CBI investigations into her father’s murder have come to a standstill, she said there was pressure on the investigating agency.

Replying to a query, she alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy is shielding Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy – her father’s cousin – and his son and Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, who are accused in the case.

Asked if she was suspected Jagan Mohan Reddy’s involvement, she said: “I can’t say if his role is there or not. It is for the CBI to probe. His name has come up, probe it. If there is involvement, make it public and if not, leave him. I am not here to say whether they did or not. It is for the CBI. They have to complete the investigation.”

She referred to the CBI’s statement that Jagan Mohan Reddy knew about the death of Vivekanand Reddy early on March 15, 2019, much before M.V. Krishna Reddy publicly announced it.

She said on March 15, it will be five years since her father’s murder but the case has still not been solved..

“Normally a murder case is solved in five days but here five years have passed,” she said.

She recalled that Vivekananda Reddy had contested the MLC election in 2017 and was defeated under a conspiracy. He, however, became stronger after that betrayal and was active in politics.

Sunitha Reddy also mentioned that after rushing to Pulivendula after learning after her father’s murder, she went to the mortuary, where Avinash Reddy told her that Vivekananda Reddy campaigned for him till 11.30 p.m.

“I did not realise the motive behind this. In criminal cases we hear and see on TV, many times, the murderers will be amidst us but we don’t realise. This was one of those things,” she said.

Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter remarked that she never realised that those close to them may be involved.

She said Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was then Leader of Opposition, had filed a petition in the High Court for transfer of murder case to the CBI. She said after the elections, she met him and drew her attention to the case pending in the High Court for transferring the murder case to CBI.

“If I don’t catch those who killed my uncle, what will people think of me? I need to solve this. It will be done. Whoever is the culprit will be found,” she quoted Jagan Mohan Reddy as saying.

Sunitha Reddy said when she again met him with the same request, he told her that if the case is transferred to the CBI, Avinash Reddy will go to the BJP.

She said Jagan Mohan Reddy also withdrew the case he had filed in the High Court. She later filed a petition for a CBI probe. The agency took over investigation in July 2020 and it took one year for it to make arrests and file a charge sheet.

“The moment accused number four Shiva Shankar Reddy was arrested, the scenario changed because the fear started about who is next in line – Bhaskar Reddy and Avinash Reddy. With that, started the filing of cases against CBI officers,” she said.

She mentioned that in January-February 2022, the CBI team left for Kadapa because of the cases. This forced her to approach the Supreme Court, which asked the CBI to re-start investigations and complete it as possible and also transferred the case to Telangana.

Sunitha Reddy also referred to the Kurnool incident of May last year when a CBI team waited two days outside a hospital seeking support of local police to detain Avinash Reddy but had to return empty-handed.

She alleged that after getting bail, the accused were influencing witnesses in the case.

Demanding an early completion of the CBI probe, she remarked: “It should not become like 11 other cases which have not gone to trial even after 11 years.”

She was apparently referring to the disproportionate assets cases the CBI registered against Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Sunitha Reddy thanked her cousin and state Congress chief Y.S. Sharmila Reddy, TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan and all those who have supported her.

“At this point I don’t have an answer. Let us see how things go forward,” she said when asked if she would join any political party to carry forward her fight for justice.

Former minister and former MP, Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections. He was alone there at the time.

In April last year, the CBI had arrested Bhaskar Reddy, and claimed that both Avinash and Bhaskar Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy because he was against fielding Avinash Reddy from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to instead field his mother Vijayamma or sister Sharmila.

However, the father-son duo denied the allegation.

Avinash Reddy was granted anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court on May 31, 2023.