Viveka Case: Bhaskar Reddy Appears Before ED

Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday for questioning in connection with the investigation into alleged financial transactions related to the murder of former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.

Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy, father of Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy and cousin of the slain leader, appeared before the ED officials at the agency’s regional office in Hyderabad. He was directed to appear with documents relating to the financial transactions.

Bhaskar Reddy is the sixth accused (A6) in the case, and he was summoned by the ED a day before his son Avinash Reddy was scheduled to appear for questioning.

Avinash Reddy, the eighth accused (A8) in the 2019 murder case, is the cousin of former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

On Monday, Devireddy Shiva Shankar Reddy, A5 in the murder case, had appeared before the ED. He was grilled for about 11 hours by the ED officials.

The central agency during the last few days questioned Yerra Gangi Reddy and other accused in connection with the alleged financial transactions linked to the case.

The Central agency also questioned Uma Shankar Reddy, Sunil Yadav and Shaik Dastagiri, an accused-turned-approver, as part of the probe into the alleged money laundering and financial transactions connected with the murder conspiracy.

Last month, the ED questioned and recorded Sunil Yadav’s statement. Gangi Reddy and Umashankar Reddy were reportedly questioned based on this statement.

The agency is probing the financial transactions before the murder as the CBI suspects that Rs 40 crore ‘supari’ (contract) was offered to the accused to kill Vivekananda Reddy.

The ED began a money laundering probe on the basis of the case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the charge sheets filed by it.

It was in August last year that the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). The ED is also looking into the alleged transfer of Rs 4 crore and the payment of Rs 1 crore as an advance to Shaik Dastagiri.

Last month, the ED conducted searches at multiple locations, including the premises linked to Avinash Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy, and other accused in the murder case.

Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), and uncle of former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections.

The 68-year-old former state minister and former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him.

The CBI took over the investigation in 2020 at the direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing a petition by Vivekananda Reddy's daughter, Sunitha Reddy, who raised suspicion about some relatives.

Expediting the probe, the CBI in 2023 arrested Bhaskar Reddy and his follower, Uday Kumar Reddy. It filed the first charge sheet in the case in 2021 and supplementary charge sheets in 2022 and 2023.