Viveka murder case: SC directs Telangana HC to hear YSRCP MP Avinash Reddy’s anticipatory bail plea on 25 May

The Supreme Court bench wondered how much time would it take to pass the orders.

The apex court also said no interim protection was being given to Avinash Reddy from arrest by the CBI when his counsel VV Giri pleaded with the court to consider it, which was vehemently opposed by Siddharth Luthra, who is counsel for Narreddi Sunitha, daughter of late Vivekananda Reddy.

The apex court on 24 April set aside the Telangana High Court’s direction granting interim protection from arrest and however asked the CBI to continue its investigation.

The Supreme Court order was issued by the bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The order also pointed out that orders of this nature would prejudice the investigation.

Justice Maheshwari’s bench in its Tuesday order clarified that the Telangana High Court’s vacation bench could still hear the plea regardless of the fact that it was heard by another bench earlier.

Viveka, who is also the paternal uncle of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered in his Kadapa house on the intervening night of 14-15 March, 2019, and the CBI contends Avinash and his father, Bhaskar Reddy — who is already in custody — had a hand in the murder.

Related: Dramatic events as CBI visits hospital to arrest Avinash Reddy

YSRCP workers lay seige

Meanwhile, the YSRCP workers laid siege to the entire area on the banks of the KC Canal near Devnagar in Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh to “protect” their leader and Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy from the CBI.

He has been attending to his mother Sri Lakshmi in the hospital since 19 May, after she complained of cardiac pain.

It was the day he had been summoned to the CBI office in Koti, Hyderabad, for questioning. He did not go, nor did he go when summoned next on Monday, 22 May — prompting the CBI to arrive in Kurnool to apparently effect an arrest.

The CBI officials reached Kurnool early on Monday, clearly with the intent to arrest him, but by then the entire hospital area was swarming with YSRCP workers who had arrived from Kadapa, Pulivendula, and Jammalamadugu, besides the local cadres.

They had taken control of the hospital and occupied the fifth floor of the building. A group of workers spread carpets at the main gate of the hospital and sat there, preventing anyone from entering the premises.