The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy for seven hours on Saturday in connection with the murder of his uncle and former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.

Avinash Reddy, recently listed as the eighth accused in the case by the CBI, appeared before the central agency at its regional office in Hyderabad as per the conditions laid down by the Telangana High Court while granting him anticipatory bail.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP, who has been questioned multiple times by the CBI in the case, was once again grilled by the CBI officials.

Avinash Reddy, who is the cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was arrested by the CBI on June 3 but was immediately released on bail as per the order of Telangana High Court.

The information about Avinash Reddy’s arrest came to light on June 8.

He was arrested when he had appeared before the agency on June 3.

He was released on bail the same day after he completed formalities as per the High Court order.

While granting anticipatory bail on May 31, the Telangana High Court had ruled that in the event of the petitioner’s arrest by the CBI, he shall be released on bail on executing a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh with two sureties for a like sum each.

The judge had directed Avinash Reddy to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the CBI police every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. till the end of June 2023, and regularly, as and when he is required for investigation.

On June 8, the CBI told the special court that it had listed Avinash Reddy as the eighth accused in the case.

The CBI made the disclosure in its counter affidavit filed in the court while opposing the bail petition of Avinash Reddy’s father, Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy.

This is the first time that the CBI has named Avinash Reddy as the accused in the case. Earlier, the central agency had called the MP a witness.

Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections.

The CBI also told the court that Avinash Reddy and his father had a role in causing the disappearance of the evidence. It also claimed that they are trying to influence the witnesses.

After staying put at a hospital in Kurnool for eight days, Kadapa MP Y. S. Avinash Reddy on Friday moved to Hyderabad with his ailing mother.

With improvement in Y. S. Lakshmi’s condition, she was discharged from Viswbharati Hospital in Kurnool. The MP along with his mother reached Hyderabad. She was admitted to AIG Hospital in the Gachibowli area of Hyderabad.

Earlier, Viswabharati Hospital stated in a health bulletin that her condition was stable and was being discharged. It said there is a need to shift her to a higher centre for elective coronary intervention.

The development comes even as the hearing was on in Telangana High Court on Avinash Reddy’s anticipatory bail petition in the murder case of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy.

A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been tailing Avinash Reddy ever since he skipped appearing before it and reached the private hospital in Kurnool where his mother was undergoing treatment for heart ailment.

Avinash Reddy, who is a cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, had written to the CBI seeking exemption from appearance time till Saturday (May 27) in view of his mother’s condition.

The MP had not appeared before the CBI on May 16 and May 19 in Hyderabad. On May 16, he cited prior-fixed official engagements in Pulivendula as the reason and sought four days’ time. On May 19, he conveyed to the CBI that he would not be able to appear before it as his mother took ill.

The MP, who was in Hyderabad, left for his home town Pulivendula in Kadapa district and got his mother admitted to Kurnool hospital. Since then, he has been staying at the hospital.

The central agency had issued a fresh notice on May 19, directing him to appear before it at its Hyderabad office on May 22.

However, the MP once again expressed his inability to appear due to his mother’s poor health.

Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections.

Last month, the CBI arrested Avinash Reddy’s father Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy, a cousin of Rajasekhara Reddy.

The agency told the court during the hearing on multiple occasions that Bhaskar Reddy, Avinash Reddy and their follower Devireddy Shiva Shankar Reddy hatched a conspiracy to murder Vivekananda Reddy as he had opposed the Kadapa Lok Sabha ticket to Avinash Reddy.

Avinash Reddy has denied the allegations against him and his father and alleged that the CBI ignored several key facts in the case.

Kadapa MP, Y S Aviansh Reddy, gets one more day’s relief from the Telangana high court. The vacation bench of the Telangana high court had adjourned hearing on the anticipatory bail petition to Friday morning.

Justice M Lakshman posted the case for hearing as the advocates from both sides sought more time for arguments. The vacation bench of Justice Lakshman would hear the arguments from 10.30 in the morning.

It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court had directed the Telangana high court to hear the anticipatory bail petition on May 25. The Supreme Court’s direction came following a petition filed by Avinash Reddy who sought time from the CBI for questioning.

Avinash Reddy wrote to the CBI that he would be available for questioning only on May 27 as his mother is unwell and he had to attend to her. His father Bhaskara Reddy is in judicial custody, and Avinash Reddy is currently attending to her in the hospital at Kurnool.

The CBI had accused Avinash Reddy of conspiracy in the murder of former minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy in March 2019. It was alleged that Avinash Reddy had closeted with one of the accused, Anil Yadav, on the night Vivekananda Reddy was murdered.

However, Avinash Reddy had denied his involvement in the murder and alleged that the CBI was serving the interests of the opposition. He also pointed an accusing finger at Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter Dr Narreddy Suneetha Reddy and her husband Narreddy Rajasekhar Reddy. The CBI had questioned the couple too and said that they have no role in the murder.

The Supreme Court would hear the anticipatory bail petition of Kadapa MP Y S Avinash Reddy on Tuesday. The petition would come up before the bench consisting of Justice J K Maheswari and Justice Pamidigantam Sri Narasimha.

The petition was filed on May 5 by Avinash Reddy seeking anticipatory bail as the CBI officials were trying to arrest him in the murder of former minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy in March 2019. The MP alleged that the CBI was targeting him to serve the political interests of the TDP leadership. He also alleged that the CBI’s enquiry was going on the lines of the TDP statements.

However, the CBI officials have brushed aside the MP’s allegations. They have also filed a petition before the court stating that Avinash Reddy and his father Bhaskara Reddy were behind the murder. The CBI also alleged that both the father and the son hatched the plan to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy who reportedly opposed the YSR Congress giving Kadapa MP seat to Avinash Reddy.

Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter Dr Narreddy Suneetha Reddy impleaded in the petition opposing anticipatory bail for Avinash Reddy. The case was heard earlier in the Supreme Court and was posted for May 23.

It is to be seen what steps the supreme court would take when it hears the arguments of the counsel for Dr Suneetha Reddy and the CBI.

The CBI is going all out to arrest Avinash Reddy in the case. Sources say that the CBI had collected enough evidence to prove charges against the MP as a conspirator in the murder.

Kadapa MP, Y S Avinash Reddy, skipped the CBI enquiry into former minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy’s murder. He did not attend the CBI for the questioning on Tuesday, rather wrote a letter to the CBI seeking more time.

Though he arrived in Hyderabad from Kadapa this morning, he did not go to the CBI office in Koti, Hyderabad as required by the CBI. The CBI had sent a communication to Avinash Reddy on Monday asking him to come to the office for questioning on Tuesday morning.

However, on Tuesday morning, Avinash Reddy wrote a letter to the CBI that he had several engagements to attend on the day and he would not be able to come to the CBI office on short notice. He wanted the CBI to give him four to five days, in advance, for every questioning.

The Telangana high court had already directed him to be available to the CBI for questioning. However, he said he would not be able to be present today as he is occupied with other programmes which were scheduled some time ago.

It is to be now seen how the CBI would react to Avinash Reddy’s letter. Will it give him notice in advance or not is to be seen.

Meanwhile, Avinash Reddy also gave a complaint to the CBI that a media vehicle was following his convoy in Hyderabad. He said that the media vehicle was recording his movements without his permission and wanted action against the media for following him in Hyderabad.