The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday (August 21) conducted searches at seven locations in Hyderabad and Kadapa in connection with the 2019 murder of former Andhra Pradesh Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.
The searches were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at the residential premises of key accused in the case. The ED said incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the searches, besides ₹24 lakh in unaccounted cash and two locker keys from the premises of YSRCP Lok Sabha MP from Kadapa, Y.S. Avinash Reddy.
Vivekananda Reddy, paternal uncle of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Kadapa on March 15, 2019. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct further investigation into the case in March 2020.
The CBI subsequently registered a case under Sections 302 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and filed three chargesheets, naming Avinash Reddy, his father Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy, YSRCP functionary D. Siva Shankar Reddy, T. Gangi Reddy, Y. Sunil Yadav and others as accused.
According to the ED, the CBI’s chargesheets alleged that Siva Shankar Reddy, along with Avinash Reddy and Bhaskar Reddy, was unhappy with Vivekananda Reddy’s growing political influence and that a conspiracy was subsequently hatched to eliminate him.
The ED’s money laundering case is based on the CBI FIR and chargesheets, with Sections 302 and 120-B of the IPC being scheduled offences under the PMLA.
The agency said Shaik Dastagiri, who was part of Vivekananda Reddy’s staff and later turned approver, had told the CBI that the murder conspiracy was allegedly hatched about a month before the killing. He reportedly alleged that Gangi Reddy had told him about the involvement of Siva Shankar Reddy and some senior politicians and that ₹40 crore was promised for the murder.
The ED said Dastagiri had also disclosed that he was allegedly offered ₹5 crore as his share and received ₹1 crore from Sunil Yadav. The CBI had subsequently recovered and seized ₹46.70 lakh in cash and unaccounted jewellery from the locker of Dastagiri’s friend Syed Munna and his mother, the agency said.
Further investigation is underway.
Published – August 21, 2026 07:23 pm IST