YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha MP from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh Avinash Reddy on Saturday, January 28, appeared before CBI officials in Hyderabad in connection with the murder of Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2019. The probe agency had earlier summoned him on January 24, but the MP sought more time, following which the CBI has given him a new date of January 28. The MP said he was called by the CBI through a notice under section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

"Whatever the CBI IO (Investigating Officer) asked, I gave answers to him and provided details to the extent of my knowledge. I cannot disclose the details now. They (CBI) said if required they will ask me again after some days. If they all ask me again I will attend and clarify all the doubts," he told reporters after the questioning was done. He said that although he asked the CBI officials to videograph his questioning in the presence of his advocates, the agency did not agree. "Though they have not allowed (audiograph and videograph of his questioning), I have cooperated and I have answered all the related questions," he added.

Avinash is a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. The CBI had filed a charge sheet in the murder case on October 26, 2021 and followed it up with a supplementary charge sheet on January 31, 2022. Vivekananda Reddy was the brother of Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy. He was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula, the constituency now represented by his nephew, on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the State Assembly elections.

The Supreme Court in November transferred the high-profile murder trial of Vivekananda Reddy to a special court in Telangana, after taking note of allegations by his widow and daughter about influential people attempting to scuttle the trial in his home state.