ED searches premises of YSRCP MP Avinash Reddy, others in murder-linked PMLA case
Searches at seven locations in Hyderabad and Kadapa in connection with YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case; Rs 24 lakh cash, documents, digital devices, locker keys seized
Hyderabad, Aug 21 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it conducted searches at the premises of YSRCP MP from Kadapa Y S Avinash Reddy and some others and seized unaccounted cash worth Rs 24 lakh, "incriminating" documents and digital devices from the Lok Sabha member's premises.
The federal probe agency said in a statement that it undertook the action in connection with the murder case of Y S Vivekananda Reddy, paternal uncle of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and Kadapa MLA.
ED officials raided a total of seven locations in Hyderabad and Kadapa.
The ED filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2025 after taking cognisance of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR and three chargesheets.
"The search operations resulted in the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices," the agency said.
"In addition, unaccounted cash worth Rs 24 lakh and two locker keys were recovered and seized from the premises of Y S Avinash Reddy," it said.
There was no immediate reaction from the MP on the ED action.
Vivekananda Reddy was found murdered at his home in Pulivendula, Kadapa district, on March 15, 2019, and the CBI took over the investigation following a March 2020 order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The ED said Y S Avinash Reddy, his father Y S Bhaskar Reddy, D Shiva Shankar Reddy (a functionary of the YSRCP), T Gangi Reddy, Y Sunil Yadav and others were named as accused in the CBI chargesheets.
The CBI chargesheet revealed that Shiva Shankar Reddy, Y S Avinash Reddy and Y S Bhaskar Reddy were "unhappy when the late Y S Vivekananda Reddy joined the YSRCP, as their increasing influence in politics could have been challenged".
So to eliminate him, they hatched a criminal conspiracy and roped in his staff, including T Gangi Reddy, Shaik Dastagiri and Y Sunil Yadav, the agency alleged.
Dastagiri later turned approver and was granted pardon by a special court.
"He (Dastagiri) disclosed that the murder conspiracy was hatched around one month prior to the murder. T Gangi Reddy informed him that D Siva Shankar Reddy and some senior politicians were also involved in the plan of the murder of Y S Vivekananda Reddy," the ED said.
"D Siva Shankar Reddy... (had promised to) give them Rs 40 crore for the murder," the ED said, citing the CBI chargesheet. PTI