YS Viveka murder: CBI quizzes YS Avinash Reddy again; Sajjala sees conspiracy

HYDERABAD: YSRCP MP from Kadapa YS Avinash Reddy on Friday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case. A team of CBI sleuths quizzed the MP from Andhra Pradesh for four and a half hours at its office in Hyderabad.

This is the second time that YS Avinash Reddy appeared before the CBI for questioning in connection with the sensational murder of his uncle. On January 28, he was grilled for over four hours by the CBI officials here. Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the surroundings of the CBI office in Hyderabad after a large number of Avinash Reddy followers descended on the place to express their support for the Kadapa MP.

Raising slogans in support of Avinash Reddy, they caused commotion in the area, prompting the CBI authorities to dissuade them from their protest and ask them to leave the place. The CBI, which has recently made sensational claims in its counter affidavit filed in a special court here, reportedly quizzed the Kadapa MP on several aspects including the statement given by Dastagiri, one of the accused in the case.

The officers of the Central agency were also learnt to have asked Avinash Reddy the same questions that were posed to him last time. YS Avinash Reddy, then, reportedly chose not to answer many of them and maintained stoic silence to some of those questions.

The CBI, in its recent counter affidavit, alleged YS Avinash Reddy’s involvement in the sensational murder of his uncle Vivekananda Reddy. In its detailed affidavit, the Central agency claimed to have found clinching evidence pointing to the role of the Kadapa MP. It claimed that Avinash Reddy and his father YS Bhaskar Reddy were in touch with the other accused in the case before and after the murder.

Answered all questions, not asked to come again: YS Avinash Reddy

Emerging out of the CBI office after questioning, YS Avinash Reddy however clarified that he had answered all the questions asked by the CBI. He said that he was not told by the CBI to appear before it again for questioning.

The Kadapa MP expressed his displeasure on what he called a misinformation campaign being carried out by a section of the media. "How fair is it to indulge in mud-slinging against me? Canards are being spread, claiming that I threatened YS Vijayamma when I visited the latter and it was also wrongly reported that I went to Dubai. The false campaign in the media will adversely affect the investigation into the case. Frequent attempts are being made to blow up a lie and make it look like the truth. I have submitted a memorandum to the CBI with all the facts I know in connection with the case. I requested the investigating agency to conduct a detailed investigation into the facts I mentioned in my memorandum," he said.

CBI statements politically motivated: Sajjala

Meanwhile, speaking in Amaravati, YSRCP General Secretary and Advisor to Andhra Pradesh Government on Public Affairs Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy on Friday condemned the CBI’s claims on YS Avinash Reddy’s alleged involvement in the case. He also felt that the Central agency was not conducting a fair investigation.

While claiming that the Kadapa MP had nothing to do with the murder, he expressed the apprehension that the CBI’s accusations in its affidavits appeared to be politically motivated. In a retort to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, he said that it was Chandrababu Naidu who was in power in Andhra Pradesh when YS Vivekanada Reddy murder took place.

Sajjala said that the murder was part of a large conspiracy scripted by Chandrababu Naidu. He also expressed the suspicion that, going by the current developments surrounding the probe into the case, a concerted attempt was being made to target YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his government.

Ramakrishna Reddy also said that facts would come to the fore if the reports of SIT, which probed the case till it was handed over to the CBI, were made public. He alleged that TDP Kadapa leaders Adinarayana Reddy and B.Tech Ravi were linked to the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder.