ED questions prime accused in Vivekananda Reddy murder for second day
Synopsis
The ED's interrogation of the prime accused in the 2019 Pulivendula contract killing is zeroing in on a ₹40 crore alleged supari and a ₹4 crore money trail — with searches already conducted at premises linked to YSRCP MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy. Five years after the murder of a former minister, the financial investigation is now threatening to pull in the political establishment around the victim's own family.
Key Takeaways
Yerra Gangi Reddy , prime accused in the Y.S.
Vivekananda Reddy murder, appeared before the ED for a second consecutive day on 29 September .
Another accused, Uma Shankar Reddy , was also questioned; the sessions reportedly follow statements by accused Sunil Yadav .
The CBI suspects a ₹40 crore contract killing fee was paid, with an additional ₹4 crore transfer and ₹1 crore advance to approver Shaik Dastagiri .
The ED registered an ECIR in August 2023 and last month searched premises linked to YSRCP MP Y.S.
Avinash Reddy and his father Y.S.
Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his Pulivendula residence on 15 March 2019 ; the CBI filed charge sheets in 2021 , 2022 , and 2023 .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday, 29 September continued its interrogation of Yerra Gangi Reddy, the prime accused in the murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, marking his second consecutive day of questioning in Hyderabad. The ED is probing alleged money laundering and financial transactions linked to the murder conspiracy.
Who Is Being Questioned
Alongside Gangi Reddy, another accused, Uma Shankar Reddy, was also being questioned by the central agency on the same day. The questioning of both individuals reportedly follows statements recorded from a third accused, Sunil Yadav, who was interrogated by the ED last week.
The Financial Trail Under Scrutiny
The ED's probe centres on alleged financial transactions believed to be connected to the murder plot. According to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), a ₹40 crore 'supari' (contract killing fee) was allegedly offered to the accused to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy. The agency is additionally examining an alleged transfer of ₹4 crore and a reported advance payment of ₹1 crore to Shaik Dastagiri, an accused who has since turned approver in the case.
The ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in August last year and launched its money laundering investigation on the basis of the CBI's case and the charge sheets it has filed.
Searches at Prominent Premises
Last month, the ED conducted searches at multiple locations linked to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Member of Parliament Y.S. Avinash Reddy, the nephew of the slain former minister and an accused in the case. The searches covered premises belonging to Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy, his father Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy, and other accused persons associated with the murder.
Background: The 2019 Murder
Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) and uncle of YSRCP president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on 15 March 2019 — weeks before state assembly elections. The 68-year-old former state minister and former Member of Parliament was alone at home when unidentified assailants entered and killed him.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the CBI to take over the investigation in 2020, acting on a petition filed by Vivekananda Reddy's daughter, Sunitha Reddy, who had raised suspicions about certain relatives. The CBI filed its first charge sheet in 2021, followed by supplementary charge sheets in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, the agency arrested Bhaskar Reddy and his associate Uday Kumar Reddy.
What Comes Next
With the ED now building a parallel financial case alongside the CBI's criminal investigation, the probe is entering a critical phase. The outcome of the current round of questioning could shape whether fresh arrests or asset attachment proceedings follow under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Point of View
If substantiated through financial records, would be among the largest documented contract killing payments in recent Andhra Pradesh history. More politically significant is the ED's search of premises linked to sitting MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy — a move that signals the agency is not limiting its scrutiny to foot soldiers. With Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP already out of power in Andhra Pradesh, the political insulation that may have slowed earlier proceedings has narrowed considerably.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Yerra Gangi Reddy and why is he being questioned by the ED?
Yerra Gangi Reddy is the prime accused in the 2019 murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy. The ED is questioning him as part of a money laundering probe into alleged financial transactions — including a suspected ₹40 crore contract killing payment — connected to the murder conspiracy.
What is the alleged financial transaction at the centre of the ED probe?
The CBI suspects a ₹40 crore 'supari' was paid to the accused to carry out the killing. The ED is also probing an alleged ₹4 crore transfer and a ₹1 crore advance reportedly paid to Shaik Dastagiri, who has turned approver in the case.
Who is Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy and when was he killed?
Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy was a former Andhra Pradesh state minister and Member of Parliament, and the brother of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. He was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on 15 March 2019, weeks before state elections, when he was 68 years old.
How did the CBI get involved, and what charges have been filed?
The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the CBI to take over the investigation in 2020, following a petition by the victim's daughter Sunitha Reddy. The CBI filed its first charge sheet in 2021 and supplementary charge sheets in 2022 and 2023, and arrested Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy and Uday Kumar Reddy in 2023.
Why were searches conducted at YSRCP MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy's premises?
The ED last month conducted searches at premises linked to Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, nephew of the slain minister and a named accused in the murder case, along with his father Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy. The searches are part of the agency's effort to map financial flows connected to the alleged murder conspiracy.
