Months after the murder of senior politician Y S Vivekananda Reddy, who was found dead at his home in Pulivendula town in Andhra Pradesh in March, a local court granted bail to three accused in the case.
Pointing out that more than 90 days had passed and no chargesheet had been filed by the police, which meant that the accused were entitled to bail according to the rules, the court granted bail to Vivekananda's personal secretary Krishna Reddy, Yerra Gangireddy, a close aide, and Prakash, a domestic help.
The trio were accused of shifting Vivekananda Reddy’s body from the bathroom – where he was found – to the bedroom and wiping off bloodstains in the bedroom.
Vivekananda Reddy, a former MP was murdered on March 15. While initially it was believed that the politician suffered a cardiac arrest and succumbed, police confirmed after investigation that the two-time MP was murdered. Vivekananda had injury marks on his head, hands and back.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was later formed by the police to probe the case.
Ahead of the polls, the murder of the leader, who was the brother of former CM YS Rajasekhar Reddy and uncle of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, had resulted in the YSRCP and TDP trading charges of "murder politics" in the poll-bound state.
Alleging that the TDP would interfere in the investigation, the YSRCP had even sought a CBI probe into the murder. However, with Jagan's party now in power, it remains to be seen as to how the state government responds to the latest development.
Vivekananda’s wife had even filed a petition with the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the politicisation of her husband’s death and asked the SIT to refrain from disclosing the progress of inquiry to the media, as the death had taken a political turn.
Vivekananda Reddy was elected from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency on a Congress ticket in 1999 and 2004. He was twice elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly (1989, 1994) from Pulivendula, a family stronghold.