Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Editorial, "WHO KILLED VIVEKA?" in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 November 2021, Vol. 17, Part 2, No. 21 issue

 

WHO KILLED VIVEKA?


This question has again shot up recently with CBI investigation into the case – directed by the AP High Court allowing the petitions of Viveka’s wife Sowbhagya and daughter Dr. Suneetha Reddy – speeding up with some significant breakthroughs; especially revelations in the confessional statement of Dastagiri, Viveka’s car driver, have rattled the people at large. As per the general guess, the murder was an insider job, planned and executed by close relatives and known persons. Viveka was in general an amiable and mild-mannered person but was given to furious outbursts and harsh deeds at times. In the 2011 by-election, while Viveka was still in the Congress as Sonia’s protégé, he not only contested for the Pulivendula Assembly seat against his sister-in-law Vijayamma, but even challenged her in an indecent manner – such things are not generally taken lightly, never forgotten or forgiven in relatives circles, especially in the factionist regions of Rayalaseema. Earlier once Jagan, his nephew, had demanded Viveka to resign his MP seat, and had physically assaulted him too. And then, the ugly [extra-legal] settlements deals Viveka and others were carrying out in Bangalore, etc. and the crores of rupees worth properties/ commissions disputes etc. in that regard with relatives and confidants – all these, exacerbated by the fiery duel he had with another nephew Avinash Reddy for the Kadapa Parliamentary seat and the rumors of his decision to join TDP and take revenge (as at that time Jagan was not in power and his party was not that confident of winning the elections even) in that way, had a sort of ‘multiplier effect’ on the relatives cherishing inimical feelings against him and resulted in this 3½ hours long agonizing fatal ordeal. Gangi Reddy, Krishna Reddy, Umashankar Reddy, Naveen Yadav and Dastagiri are named as the accused in the chargesheet filed by CBI; but, surely, Avinash Reddy (Kadapa M.P.), Dr. Abhishek Reddy and others, including the CI and Constable present, who deliberately caused much evidence to disappear by cleaning the blood spilt and erasing other clues, may also be joined/will have to be joined as co-accused soon – either by the CBI or by the trial Court; but the million dollar question is whether this will not spring up to reach the very top – Jagan the CM even. In our opinion, that depends ultimately on the Jagan-Shah equations; on Jagan’s concessions/surrender to the ruling BJP party, etc. May or may not be so – but all this mess, the ugly degeneration of ‘democratic’ politics, is quite revolting, unbearable and unpardonable at any cost. §§§

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