In Brief
The petitioner, daughter of murdered politician Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, sought transfer of his murder trial from Kadapa to Hyderabad or Delhi, citing witness intimidation and State interference. The deceased was killed in 2019; the CBI took over investigation but then stalled it after false complaints were filed against CBI officers. Key witness K. Gangadhar Reddy died suspiciously after initially agreeing to testify. The Supreme Court held that reasonable apprehension of unfair trial—based on witness deaths, intimidation, and State machinery shielding accused—justified transfer. Justice must be seen to be done. Fair trial is a fundamental right under Article 21. The trial was transferred to Hyderabad CBI Special Court to ensure impartiality and restore public confidence.
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