Vivekananda Reddy Murder: SC Asks Telangana HC To Decide On Merit CBI Plea To Cancel Gangi Reddy Bail

The order came in response to a motion made by the CBI to revoke Erra Gangi Reddy's default bail in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case

Supreme Court of India

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The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Telangana High Court to decide, in accordance with law and merit, CBI's plea seeking for cancellation of bail for Erra Gangi Reddy in connection with the murder case of former Andhra Pradesh Minister YS Vivekananda Reddy.

Supreme Court asks Telangana High Court to consider afresh, in accordance with law and on merit, CBI's plea seeking cancellation of bail to Erra Gangi Reddy in connection with the murder case of former Andhra Pradesh Minister YS Vivekananda Reddy. pic.twitter.com/tXKVFhC9rU

— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2023

A bench comprising Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar observed that there is no absolute bar that once a person is released on bail, it cannot be cancelled on merits and grounds like not cooperating with the investigation. The bench directed the Telangana High Court to decide on merits the CBI's plea for cancellation of bail granted to Erra Gangi Reddy in connection with the Vivekananda Reddy murder case.

The order came in response to a motion made by the CBI to revoke Erra Gangi Reddy's default bail in the YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case. Justice Shah stated that after the charge sheet was presented, there was no obstacle to cancelling default bail on the basis of merits.

"The court cannot be compelled to not consider the gravity of the offence or examine the merits of the case when the accused was not released on merits earlier. Mere non-filing of a chargesheet will not be enough when a strong case is made out," Justice Shah said as quoted by LiveLaw.

Vivekananda Reddy, the uncle of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was brutally murdered at his residence in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, on March 15, 2019.

The murder trial had been moved by the Supreme Court to a Hyderabad Special CBI Court in November. The CBI filed the present plea claim in an effort to get the Telangana High Court's bail order revoked.