Kurnool: Approver in the Viveka murder case, Shaik Dastagiri, urged Kadapa superintendent of police (SP) E.G. Ashok Kumar on Wednesday to provide him with additional protection, citing the deaths of witnesses in the case. He requested the reinstatement of his previous security arrangement, stating that he was earlier provided with 2+2 gunmen, which he considered sufficient, whereas the present coalition government has assigned only 1+1 gunmen. While he has not received any direct threats, he approached the SP as a precautionary measure.
Speaking to the media, Dastagiri claimed that everyone knows who killed Vivekananda Reddy. He accused YSRC chief and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of distorting facts and behaving irrationally. “If he is confident, is he ready to debate with me publicly on this case?” he asked. Since Jagan Mohan Reddy lives near his residence, Dastagiri expressed fears for his safety and reiterated his request for increased security.
He further alleged, “In 2021, just days after I gave my statement before the magistrate, the details of the conspirators surfaced. Why didn’t Jagan Mohan Reddy challenge my statement in the High Court back then? He remained silent because their conspiracies would have been exposed. There should be a thorough investigation into Dr Chaitanya Reddy’s threats against me in jail. The CBI has assured me that they will soon investigate the matter.”
