HYDERABAD: During a hearing of the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case at the Telangana High Court on Friday, the standing counsel for the CBI opposed the bail petition of D Shiva Shankar Reddy (A5). The CBI asserted that Shiva Shankar was allegedly involved in a conspiracy related to the propagation of a theory that YS Vivekananda Reddy had died of a heart attack.
According to the CBI counsel, on March 15, 2019, Shiva Shankar visited the residence of Vivekananda Reddy at approximately 6:30 am. The accused allegedly played a pivotal role in the destruction of the crime scene by cleaning the bedroom and bathroom, and arranging for the cleaning of wounds with the assistance of a compounder and others.
Furthermore, the CBI claimed that Shiva Shankar and his associates convinced visitors that Vivekananda Reddy’s death was due to a heart attack and blood vomiting. The accused purportedly obstructed the documentation of the crime scene by preventing photography and videography, all the while attempting to eliminate evidence.
The CBI counsel argued that the petitioner, with a political background, is an influential person and has a history of involvement in various criminal cases according to police records. Granting bail to Shiva Shankar may pose a threat to the ongoing investigation, as there is a likelihood that he may attempt to influence material witnesses crucial to the case, the CBI counsel said.
However, during the arguments, Justice K Lakshman expressed dismay over the submissions of the CBI counsel, particularly noting the repeated use of the phrase “I think so.” The matter has been adjourned to a future date for further arguments.