Viveka case: CM Chandrababu Naidu raises doubt over witness death

VIJAYAWADA: “There are notorious criminals under the mask of politics in the State,” said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

According to sources, issues related to the murder of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy, ‘conspiracies’ of YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the false propaganda by his media house came up for discussion after the end of the Cabinet meeting on Friday.

Observing that attempts are being made for criminalisation of politics, Naidu accused the YSRCP chief of polluting politics for his selfish interests, and suggested that the ministers effectively counter his malicious campaign and media houses.

Mentioning the developments right from the murder of Vivekananda to the death of witnesses in the case, Naidu felt that such issues could not be taken easily. Underscoring the need for controlling those engaged in organised crimes, Naidu once again explained the attitude of Jagan with examples. After mentioning cardiac arrest as the cause of Viveka’s death, they levelled allegations against me, Naidu said.

Apart from imposing a gag order restricting people from speaking on Viveka murder, Jagan sought a CBI inquiry into the case when he was in opposition, and later took a ‘U’ turn, stating that it was not necessary. Jagan even attempted to establish his sister (victim’s daughter) as the accused in the murder case, Naidu told his Cabinet colleagues, and urged them to be cautious with such persons.

With regard to the death of Viveka’s watchman Rangaiah, who was a key witness, Naidu is learnt to have expressed doubts, and felt it was a suspicious death. The police inquiry also proved it as a suspicious death, Naidu said, adding that the accused in the murder of TDP leader Paritala Ravindra were also killed in a similar manner.