YS Vivekananda Reddy murder case: ED to grill AP MP Avinash Reddy in hawala angle

Hyderabad: Officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who are probing the hawala transactions that allegedly took place in connection with AP former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy's murder case, are likely to grill Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy regarding the unaccounted cash of Rs 24 lakh which was seized at his residence a few days ago. The ED will also verify two lockers of the MP soon.

The agency registered a case of money laundering based on the FIR and charge-sheets filed by the CBI. Following the PMLA cases, the ED conducted raids a few days ago in Hyderabad and Kadapa. Having questioned Sheik Dastagiri, an accused in the case who has turned an approver, in connection with the alleged hawala cash transactions, ED officials are likely to question MP Avinash Reddy, Sunil Yadav and others. The ED officials are probing the case based on the recorded statements of Shaik Dastagiri.

Dastagiri disclosed that the murder conspiracy was hatched around one month prior to the murder. T Gangi Reddy informed him that D Siva Shankar Reddy and some senior politicians were also involved in the alleged plot for murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy. During the probe, the ED obtained information that Siva Shankar Reddy would give them Rs. 40 crore for the murder. Shaik Dastagiri was induced by Gangi Reddy with Rs. 5 crore as part of a share in a promised amount of Rs. 40 crore.

He admitted that he had received Rs 1 crore from Y Sunil Yadav who took Rs. 25 lakh from it. He gave the remaining Rs. 75 lakh to his friend Syed Munna and the CBI later recovered and seized Rs 46.70 lakh cash from the locker of Syed Munna and his mother.

On Thursday, the ED questioned Dastagiri at the ED’s Hyderabad office and reportedly recorded his statements. Based on his statement, the ED is likely to serve notices to the other accused in the case, including Avinash Reddy, for questioning.

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Mouli Mareedu