HC asked CBI to issue personal notices to Gangi Reddy

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday asked the CBI to serve personal notice on Yerra Gangi Reddy, first accused in the Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy murder case, after he did not appear in court.

The court had issued notice to Gangi Reddy on March 23 directing him to submit his response on March 31 on a CBI petition seeking cancellation of his bail. On Friday, neither Gangi Reddy nor his counsel appeared before the High Court.

Expressing doubt as to whether or not the March 23 notice was served on Gangi Reddy, the High Court directed the CBI to issue personal notice and adjourned the matter to April 12.

The Supreme Court  on January 16 had directed the Telangana High Court to re-examine the CBI’s petition seeking to cancel Gangi Reddy’s bail that was issued by the trial court at Pulivendula  of Kadapa district. Gangi Reddy had secured default bail under Section 167(2) of CrPC, which allows bail the moment  the statutory period of 60/90 days of detention are completed.

After the murder of Vivekananda Reddy, a former MP, the SIT police of Andhra Pradesh had arrested Gangi Reddy on March 28, 2019, after naming him the main accused. He was remanded to judicial custody. On June 27, 2019, a day after the statutory period of 90 days had lapsed, Gangi Reddy successfully sought default bail.

Elsewhere, the CBI court adjourned the hearing in the murder case to April 28 after the investigating agency submitted that it would file a supplementary chargesheet. Except the fourth accused, Dastagir, who has turned approver, all the other accused including Gangi Reddy were present. The CBI court  recorded their appearance and adjourned the case considering the CBI’s request.