Eight Convicted in Paritala Murder Case

The Anantapur district court on Thursday sentenced eight people for life for the brutal murder of TDP MLA Paritala Ravi. The court has also acquitted four persons in the case.

Paritala Ravi was shot dead by his rivals at the district Telugu Desam Party office on January 24, 2005. There were a total of 16 accused in the case. Of them, three have been brutally killed and one has turned approver.

Following sharp criticism from the opposition parties, the then chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ordered a CBI probe into the murder case. However, before the CBI could begin investigations, one of the accused, M. Rekhamaiah, surrendered before the Mahabubnagar police. The next week, eight other accused surrendered.

One of the prime accused, Joolakanti Srinivasa Reddy alias Moddu Seenu claimed in a television interview that it was he who shot dead Paritala Ravi. But on 9th November 2008 he was killed in Anantapur jail by his rivals. The main accused in the case Maddelacheruvu Suri was murdered by his aide Bhanu Prakash on 4th January this year in Hyderabad for unknown reasons.

The court delivered the verdict after examining 133 witnesses including Paritala's father-in-law Kondanna in the case. The court has convicted eight accused - Hanumantha Reddy, Peddi Reddy, OB Reddy, Vadde Konda, Vadde Srinivasulu, Rekamayya, Narayana Reddy and Ranga Nayukul and the approvar was Rammohan Reddy.

Four accused - GB Reddy, Anand Reddy (Rice Mama), Ramaswamy and Patola Govardhan Reddy have been acquitted in the case.