Political Murder Mystery: How a Driver's Death in Chennai Unveiled a Complex Political Scandal in Andhra Pradesh

Rayudu was employed as a driver and personal assistant to Jana Sena Party leader Vinutha Kota.

Hyderabad:

The murder case of Srinivasulu, commonly known as Rayudu - who previously worked as a driver and personal assistant for Jana Sena Party leader Vinutha Kota - has transformed from a standard criminal investigation into a significant political controversy following the emergence of a video recorded by the driver prior to his death.

On July 8, authorities discovered Rayudu's body in Chennai's Cooum River, showing evidence of strangulation and torture.

Chennai Police identified the body through tattoos on his hand and subsequently arrested five individuals, including his former employer Vinutha Kota and her husband Chandrababu.

Initially, investigators suggested the motive involved personal revenge and Rayudu's alleged leaking of sensitive personal and political information about Vinutha.

The case dramatically shifted direction this week when a nearly 20-minute video, reportedly recorded by Rayadu himself, was made public.

In this recording, the driver apparently made specific allegations against Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Bojjala Sudheer Reddy, who serves as representative for the Srikalahasti constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the video, Rayudu allegedly claimed that associates of the MLA promised him approximately Rs 30 lakh as payment for obtaining compromising video footage of Vinutha and her husband or for carrying out an attack against the couple.

Officials are now examining the video, which has exposed what appears to be deep political rivalry in the region, suggesting the murder might be connected to a broader conspiracy.

"How do we know it is not AI-generated, or whether Rayudu was threatened to record it before being murdered?" questioned Sudheer Reddy.

Following these allegations, Reddy strongly denied any involvement in Rayudu's murder or the alleged conspiracy.

"I swear on God and my children, I have no connection with Rayudu's murder," he declared, visibly distressed. "I came to the Lord's presence to speak the truth. These are baseless political accusations and a malicious campaign being run against me," he stated during his visit to the Tirumala temple.

Reddy suggested that the timing of the video's appearance, months after the initial arrests of Vinutha and her associates, indicated a calculated attempt to damage his political reputation.

He expressed willingness to face any investigation while condemning the exploitation of tragic events for political attacks.

Meanwhile, Vinutha Kota, who had secured conditional bail, released her own video statement denying involvement in the murder, claiming the entire incident was a political conspiracy orchestrated by rivals.

She emphasized that the court granted her bail due to lack of direct evidence connecting her to Rayadu's murder.