In Andhra Pradesh, Murder-Accused MP Camps In Hospital, CBI Waits Outside

Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy has been holed up for the last five days inside a private hospital in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district, while a CBI team waits outside, reportedly to serve summons to him. The summons are in connection with the five-year-old murder case of his uncle, former minister and MP YS Vivekananda Reddy. The MP has been named an accused in the murder case.  

The Opposition Telugu Desam Party says the CBI should go inside the hospital and arrest him.

Supporters of the YSRCP leader have been sitting in and around the Viswabharathy Superspeciality Hospital, where the MP's mother Lakshmi has been admitted. The Telangana High Court is hearing a case of anticipatory bail filed by the MP.  

The CBI has accused Avanish Reddy and his father, YS Bhaskar Reddy, of allegedly conspiring to kill Vivekananda Reddy, who was stabbed to death in March 2019.  

The CBI had summoned Avanish Reddy on May 16, but he did not appear, saying an anticipatory bail petition from him is pending in the Supreme Court. The agency again issued summons on May 19, but Avinash Reddy again did not appear.

Avinash Reddy had informed the Central investigation agency that he is unable to appear since his mother is unwell. His father was arrested earlier, so he would have to be around to take care of his mother, he had said.

Avinash Reddy is a cousin and close associate of Andhra Pradesh chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Vivekananda Reddy was the brother of Jagan Mohan Reddy's father YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

The Chief Minister's mother YS Vijayalakshmi and other family members who support Avinash Reddy, have visited the hospital.

The family is split vertically over the case.  

Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Suneetha Narreddy complained about the slow pace of investigation by a Special Investigation Team and it was reconstituted. This after the Telangana High Court in March 2020 directed the CBI to take up the probe into the murder.

The Supreme Court had set aside an earlier order that put a freeze on Avinash Reddy's arrest on April 24 and directed the High Court to decide on the anticipatory bail plea.

The top court has set June 30 as the deadline for the conclusion of the investigation in the case.