Driver murder case: SC grants bail to YSRCP MLC Anantha Babu

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday granted conditional bail to Anantha Udaya Bhaskar aka Anantha Babu, the disgraced YSRCP MLC from Kakinada, in connection with the case of murder of his former driver.

While granting him a default bail with conditions, the apex court directed the lower court to set the bail conditions for releasing the accused MLC. Anantha Babu was arrested on May 22 this year on the charges of murdering his former car driver V Subrahmanyam. Based on the statements given by the family members of the victim, a case was registered against the MLC under the provisions of the SC, ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

In some disappointment for the victim's family, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by the mother of Subrahmanyam against giving bail to Anantha Babu. She expressed the apprehensions that the MLC, as an influential member of the society, could influence the witnesses in the case, if released on bail.

While refusing to hear this petition, the Supreme Court adjourned the next hearing in the case till March, 2023.

At the time of his arrest, it was speculated that Anantha Babu allegedly eliminated Subrahmanyam suspecting that the victim was keeping a tab on his 'freewheeling lifestyle' and tipping off his (MLC's) wife about his alleged extra-marital activities.

Anantha Babu even reportedly confessed to have killed Subrahmanyam during his interrogation by the police following his arrest. The YSRCP MLC was learnt to have told the police that he took out Subrahmanyam in his car on the night of May 20, 2022 before mercilessly thrashing him inside the vehicle.

After the driver fell unconscious, Anantha Babu reportedly took him to a local private hospital where Subrahmanyam was declared dead. To escape the case, the MLC tried to portray it as an accidental death but truth eventually came out during the police investigation.

Anantha Babu felt that Subrahmanyam could prove risky for him as he was privy to all his secrets including those in business and his personal life.