Former Rajya Sabha MP V. Vijayasai Reddy appeared before the Andhra Pradesh Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Vijayawada today for questioning in the contentious Kakinada Seaports case. Arriving at 11 a.m. as per a CID notice, Reddy, who resigned from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and his MP post in January, faced officials alone as his lawyer was barred from entry.

The CID probe stems from a complaint by Karnati Venkateswara Rao (KV Rao), ex-chairman of Kakinada Seaports Limited (KSPL). Rao alleges that during the YSRCP regime, shares worth nearly Rs 3,000 crore in KSPL and Kakinada SEZ were forcibly seized. He claims 40% of Kakinada Port, valued at Rs 2,500 crore, was acquired for Rs 494 crore, and 49% of Kakinada SEZ, worth Rs 400 crore, for just Rs 12 crore. The CID registered a case last year against Reddy, YV Subba Reddy’s son Vikrant Reddy, Aurobindo Pharma’s Penaka Sarathchandra Reddy, and others under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for intimidation, cheating, and conspiracy.

Rao’s complaint accuses Vikrant Reddy and associates of threatening him with false cases and jail to coerce the share transfer. Reddy, questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in January over the same allegations, has denied involvement. In December 2024, he vowed to sue Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Rao for defamation, alleging a conspiracy to smear his name. He questioned Rao’s timing, noting the complainant’s long silence despite frequent overseas stays.

The high-profile case, spotlighting alleged corporate coercion under political cover, continues to unfold. Reddy’s CID appearance marks a critical juncture, raising questions about accountability and political rivalries in Andhra Pradesh.