A journalist working with ABN Andhrajyothy was attacked on Friday, May 19, allegedly by supporters of Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy. The supporters of Avinash, who is a suspect in the murder of former Minister Vivekananda Reddy, also attacked the van belonging to ABN Andhrajyothy. The Kadapa MP was summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to their office in Hyderabad on Friday, in connection with the murder of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle Vivekananda Reddy. Earlier in April, Avinash Reddy’s father Bhaskar, was arrested in the case. Vivekananda Reddy was a relative of Avinash Reddy.
On Friday, the MP skipped the investigation citing the ill health of his mother. The media, which were following the vehicle of the MP in Hyderabad and reporting live proceedings, were prevented from doing so. Supporters of the MP attacked the media persons and also vandalised their vehicle.
The journalist, identified as crime reporter Sashi, was attacked along with the video journalist, ABN reported. They even allegedly seized the camera and damaged it.
Condemning this, Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) president Subba Rao said that HMTV reporters were also assaulted. Holding Avinash Reddy responsible for the incident, he said, “Media did not do anything wrong by doing live reporting on his movements. Avinash is not an ordinary person but a public representative. Reporting his every step to the people is the media's responsibility. Avinash Reddy and his party should be held accountable for this incident,” Subba Rao said.
He further demanded the Telangana government take cognisance of the incident and file a case against the responsible persons.
Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on the night of March 15, 2019, roughly a month before the Assembly elections. The 68-year-old former minister was alone at his house when unidentified persons entered his house and killed him.
The CBI took over the investigation of the case in 2020, on the direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, while hearing a petition by Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Suneetha Nareddy, who had raised suspicions about the involvement of her relatives in the crime.
The Supreme Court transferred the case to Hyderabad in November last year while observing that doubts raised by Suneetha about getting a fair trial and investigation in Andhra Pradesh were reasonable.
The CBI in its 38-page affidavit filed on February 22 this year, indicted the Andhra Chief Minister’s uncle and second cousin Bhaskar Reddy and his son Avinash. According to the CBI, Avinash and Bhaskar conspired to murder Vivekananda due to a long-running political rivalry, aggravated by conflicts over an MLC seat (in 2017) and an MP seat (in 2019). The father-son duo allegedly hatched the plot with their aide D Siva Shankar Reddy. A few others who had worked closely with Vivekananda for years, including Yerra Gangi Reddy, Sunil Yadav, and Dastagir, were allegedly roped in to be part of their plan. Avinash has denied the allegations.