ANANTAPUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the Paritala Ravindra murder case, has expressed its inability to apprehend one of the key accused in the case and alleged shooter Julakanti Srinivasa Reddy alias Moddu Seenu.

This was informed to the Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate's Court by the CBI official Subbayyan here on Thursday. He explained to the court that in spite of all its efforts and announcement of a reward of Rs. one lakh for information about his whereabouts, they could not get a breakthrough.

Cites Rajiv Gandhi case

The CBI official appealed to the court to split the case for the 12 accused already arrested and the Moddu Seenu separately so as to commence the trial.

The CBI cited the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, which was concluded without apprehending the key accused and the LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran. Other accused in the case were convicted.

Mr. Subbayyan also returned the summons issued by the court for the arrest of Moddu Seenu. The AJFCM A. Jayaraj observed that the CBI could not wash off its responsibility by returning the arrest summons and it should keep on the efforts to nab the accused. He also directed the CBI to inform the progress or efforts made by them in this direction from time to time in the form of a periodical report.

On July 21, the court had directed the CBI to arrest Moddu Seenu and produce him before it by August 4. The CBI included him in the list of wanted criminals and kept the information about him on its website. But, no information had been forthcoming on his whereabouts.

Splitting of case opposed

Meanwhile, the defence counsel C. Adisesha Reddy opposed splitting of the case as it had no similarity with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

He argued that the case should not be split until the CBI completed its investigation. He mentioned that the CBI was still investigating into the alleged involvement of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, J.C. Diwakar Reddy and G. Bhanumati in the case.

The judge then directed the CBI to report it on the progress of investigation against the three persons. He asked the CBI to submit a memo whether the investigation against them was on or if it was concluded.

The judge extended the judicial custody of the 12 accused in the case till August 8 and produce all the 12 in the court on that day, as two of the accused - T. Konda Reddy and P. Rammohan Reddy - were not produced in the court on Thursday due to ill health. The two were under treatment in the General Hospital here.

Ten accused in the case -- Suri, V. Hanumantha Reddy, P. Narayana Reddy, V. Rekhamaiah, M. Obi Reddy, T. Peddi Reddy, V. Konda, V. Seena, B. Ranganayakulu and G.V. Reddy -- attended the court on Thursday.

Later, Mr. Adisesha Reddy told newspersons that they had no objection on splitting of the case and it would be his clients who would be benefited due to incomplete evidence.

However, the law had its own procedures for allowing splittinf of the case. But, the investigation against a few other suspects too should be completed, he suggested.

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