The ED, Hyderabad Zonal Office, conducted search operations at seven locations in Hyderabad and Kadapa on August 21, 2026, under the PMLA, 2002, in connection with the murder case of the late Shri Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. Incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the search operations. Additionally, unaccounted cash amounting to ₹24 lakh and keys to two lockers were recovered and seized from the premises of Shri Y.S. Avinash Reddy.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office conducted searches at 07 locations in Hyderabad and Kadapa on 21.08.2026 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the murder case of late Shri Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.
The late Shri Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy, paternal uncle of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Jagan Mohan Reddy and a popular political leader (former MLA, MP) from Kadapa, was murdered at his residence on March 15, 2019. The Honorable Andhra Pradesh High Court, through its order dated March 11, 2020, in Writ Petition No. 1639/2020, directed the CBI to conduct a further investigation.
The CBI registered an FIR under sections 302 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and, after conducting an extensive investigation, filed three chargesheets in the case, naming Mr. Y. S. Avinash Reddy (YSRCP Lok Sabha MP from Kadapa), Mr. Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy, Mr. D. Shiva Shankar Reddy, Mr. T. Gangi Reddy, Mr. Y. Sunil Yadav, and others as accused. The CBI chargesheet revealed that YSRCP political functionary Mr. D. Shiva Shankar Reddy and his close associates, Mr. Y. S. Avinash Reddy and his father, Mr. Y. S. Bhaskar Reddy, were dissatisfied with the late Mr. Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy’s joining the YSRCP, fearing that his growing political influence could pose a challenge to their political influence. Therefore, they hatched a criminal conspiracy to eliminate him, involving members of his staff, including T. Gangi Reddy, Sheikh Dastagiri, and Y. Sunil Yadav.
Mr. Sheikh Dastagiri later became a government witness and was granted amnesty by the Special CBI Court. He revealed that the murder plot was hatched approximately one month before the murder. Mr. T. Gangi Reddy told him that Mr. D. Shiva Shankar Reddy and some senior politicians were also involved in the murder of the late Mr. Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy. Mr. D. Shiva Shankar Reddy would offer him ₹40 crore (400 million rupees) for the murder. T. Gangi Reddy lured Sheikh Dastagiri with ₹5 crore (50 million rupees) as his share of the promised ₹40 crore (400 million rupees). He also admitted that he received ₹1 crore (100 million rupees) from Mr. Y. Sunil Yadav, of which Sunil Yadav kept ₹2.5 million (2.5 million rupees). He gave the remaining ₹7.5 million (7.5 million rupees) to his friend, Mr. Syed Munna. The CBI later recovered and seized ₹46.7 million (467 million rupees) in cash and unaccounted jewelry from the lockers of Syed Munna and his mother.
Based on the FIR registered by the CBI and the chargesheets filed, the ED registered a money laundering case as sections 120-B and 302 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which have been invoked in the case, are scheduled offences under the PMLA, 2002. On 21.08.2026, searches were conducted at the residential premises of the key accused in Hyderabad and Kadapa.
Incriminating documents and digital devices were seized during the search operation. Additionally, unaccounted cash amounting to ₹2.4 million and keys to two lockers were recovered and seized from the premises of Mr. Y. S. Avinash Reddy.
Further investigation is underway in the matter.
