The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Telangana High Court order directing the release of T. Gangi Reddy – accused in Y S Vivekananda Reddy murder case – who now will continue to remain in judicial custody even beyond June 30. The
The Telangana High Court by its April 27 order had on a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) ordered Gangi Reddy to surrender on or before May 5, 2023, upon which he shall be remanded to judicial custody till June 30, which was the outer limit fixed by the top court for the completion of investigation by the CBI.
However, the high court by the same order had directed the Principal Special Judge – holding trial in the case – to enlarge Gangi Reddy on bail on July 1, 2023 on his executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000 with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the Court.
Vivekanand Reddy was uncle of present Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and brother of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
Putting on hold the later part of the order on the release of Gangi Reddy alias Yerra Gangi Reddy, a vacation bench of Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha clarified that the accused will continue to remain in judicial custody even after June 30.
As senior advocate Sidharth Luthra appearing for the petitioner Suneetha Narreddy pointed out that the High Court had ordered Gangi Reddy to be remanded to judicial custody till June 30 and urged the court to clarify that custody is not limited to June 30, the bench said that once the later part of the order directing the Principal Special Judge to enlarge Gangi Reddy on bail on July 1, 2023, is stayed then nothing more needs to be said.
Having stayed the order relating to the release of Gangi Reddy, the bench noted that the investigating agency has to file its response to Gangi Reddy’s plea challenging the cancellation of his bail and remanding him to judicial custody at the plea of the CBI.
The court was informed that Gangi Reddy is alre4ady in judicial custody. The bench posted the matter for hearing on July 14.
On April 27, 2023, the Telangana High Court had allowed the CBI’s plea for the cancellation of bail to Gangi Reddy. The High Court ordered Gangi Reddy to surrender on or before May 5 2023, upon which he shall be remanded to judicial custody till June 30, which is the outer limit fixed by the top court for the completion of investigation by CBI.
However, the high court at the same time had directed the CBI court – Principal Special Judge – to enlarge Gangi Reddy on bail on July 1, 2023 on his executing a personal bond for a sum of Rs.1,00,000 with two sureties for the like sum each to the satisfaction of the Court.
Challenging the Telangana High Court order, petitioner Suneetha Narreddy had said that the high court order is neither legally justifiable, nor in accordance with the law, particularly the direction giving a pre-fixed and a predetermined date for the release of the accused on bail.
The CBI took over the investigation in July 2020 on the orders of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. The case was earlier registered at Police Station Pulivendula in Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh). Late Vivekanand Reddy had represented Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.
A month before the general elections in 2019, Vivekananda Reddy, a former MP, was found murdered at his residence at Pulivendula on March 15, 2019.