Supreme Court transfers YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case trial from Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad

The Supreme Court has transferred the murder trial of former Andhra Pradesh minister YS Vivekananda Reddy from Andhra Pradesh to the special CBI court in Hyderabad. The court held that it was a fit case for transfer to a state other than Andhra Pradesh. Justice MR Shah said, 'It cannot be said that the apprehension of the petitioner is not correct that there cannot be a fair trial or there is a big conspiracy. Rather, the petitioner has a fundamental right to get justice.

The court said that it is a fit case for transfer to a state other than the state of Andhra Pradesh, as justice must not only be done but must also be seen. After this order of the Supreme Court, the case will be transferred to the special CBI court in Hyderabad for the convenience of the witnesses. All charge sheets and supplementary charge sheets will be transferred there. The court said, 'The investigation by the CBI should be done in a fair and impartial manner. The trial will be held in Hyderabad for ease of witness statements etc. The Supreme Court has given this decision on the petition of the daughter of former Andhra Pradesh minister YS Vivekananda Reddy.

A bench of Justice MR Shah and Justice MM Sundaresh passed the transfer order on a petition filed by Sunita Nareddy, daughter of Vivekananda Reddy, cousin of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy. The wife (widow) of Vivekananda Reddy, who was brutally murdered in March 2019 at her residence at Pulivendula in Cuddapah district, was a co-petitioner.

The bench said in the order, "Considering the facts and circumstances, it cannot be said that there is apprehension on the part of the petitioners, being the daughter and wife of the deceased, that a fair trial may not take place and further investigation is warranted." There cannot be a free and fair investigation. The petitioner, being the daughter and wife of the deceased, has a fundamental right to be received as an aggrieved person. She has a legitimate expectation that the trial of the criminal cases should be conducted in a fair manner."