NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to YSRCP MP from Kadapa Y S Avinash Reddy on a petition questioning validity of the Telangana High Court's order allowing anticipatory bail to him in the 2019 murder case of former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy.
The deceased was uncle of current Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and M M Sundresh sought a reply from the respondent accused on a special leave petition filed by Suneetha Narreddy, daughter of Y S Vivekananda Reddy.
The court fixed the matter for hearing on July 3.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra said this is the most unfortunate case where the High Court did not consider the fact that he did not co-operate with the CBI.
The counsel had earlier accused the lawmaker as the principal conspirator in the death of the petitioner's father.
"He is a local MP. He is getting political support from the administration, who ensured that the CBI could not arrest him," he had said.
In her special leave petition, Narreddy contended that the high court virtually accepted the entire case put forth by the accused and disregarded the evidence collected by the CBI.
She also alleged that the Kadapa MP from the ruling party had not cooperated with the CBI by evading three notices for appearance.
Her plea also said the high court allowed the anticipatory bail to the accused contrary to the law laid down by this court as it held a mini trial and gave findings and made comments on the merits of the prosecution case.
On May 31, the Telangana High Court granted anticipatory bail to Avinash Reddy, saying the entire CBI case was based on hearsay evidence.
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. She was admitted to a hospital in Kurnool and the MP was also staying there.
The central agency had issued a fresh notice on May 19, directing him to appear before it at its Hyderabad office on May 22.
Amid reports of the CBI officials reaching Kurnool for possible arrest, he wrote to the CBI seeking exemption from appearance till May 27 in view of his mother's condition.
Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, just weeks before the elections.
