INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
HYDERABAD: The CBI's 'secret witness' in murder case of Andhra Pradesh's former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy is none other than YS
Sharmila, younger sister of chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and founder of YSR Telangana Party.Sharmila's statement along with CBI's
final charge sheet came out on Friday
The statement given by Sharmila shows that she has deposed before CBI investigators saying that there is a link between her paternal uncle
Vivekananda's murder and his political moves to ensure that YSRCP's Kadapa MP, YS Avinash Reddy, did not get a ticket ahead of the 2019 Lok
Sabha elections.Vivekananda was brutally hacked to death on March 15, 2019 in the midst of campaigning for the polls.CBI, which had been
investigating the case, had stated recently that it had convinced a key witness to corroborate its theory
The central agency had filed its final charge sheet in the case charging both Avinash and his father Bhaskar Reddy with planning the murder
and hiring four assailants.Sharmila told the CBI sleuths that Vivekananda blamed Bhaskar Reddy, his brother Manohar Reddy and Avinash for
his defeat in the Andhra Pradesh legislative council elections in 2017 and decided to teach them a lesson
'Bid to keep Avinash away from poll fray led to murder' The CBI claimed that Vivekananda told Jagan that YSRCP's ticket for the Kadapa seat
should either be given to YS Vijayamma, Jagan's mother, or to Sharmila.YS Sharmila, in her statement, confirmed this theory and said that
Vivekananda came to her two months before his murder and insisted that she agree to his proposal to keep Avinash and his family out of the
She also said in her statement that she did agree to his proposal at the time though she was not sure Jagan would give her the ticket.Viveka
had contested as the Congress candidate from Pulivendula assembly seat in 2011 by-poll
YSRCP had fielded Vijayamma who won the seat
Later in 2014 polls, Avinash was chosen as the Kadapa MP candidate on behalf of Sharmila claims that Vivekananda thought Jagan may not give
him the seat in 2019 polls because of this and saw Vijayamma or Sharmila as alternatives
She claimed these moves were behind the murder
Sharmila told CBI that there was a sort of cold war between their family and that of Avinash's
Jagan's wife Bharathi is the daughter of Bhaskar Reddy's sister
Although Sharmila was not keen to contest Lok Sabha polls, Viveka was confident of convincing Jagan against fielding Avinash from Kadapa,
which likely led to his murder.
