Pinnelli Brothers Get Relief: Supreme Court Protects Them From Arrest in Double Murder Case

In a major relief for the Pinnelli brothers, the Supreme Court has granted them interim protection from arrest until further hearing.

The apex court was hearing the bail petition filed by former Macherla MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and his brother Pinnelli Venkatarami Reddy in the Veldurthy double murder case, in which two TDP activists were killed.

While considering the bail plea, the Supreme Court observed that the first five accused in the case were TDP members. Ramakrishna Reddy and Venkatarami Reddy were listed as accused no. 5 and 6. Further, the court directed all respondents to file a counter-affidavit within three weeks.

The case was registered following the murder of TDP activists J Venkateswarlu and J Koteswara Rao on May 24, 2025. The Pinnelli brothers had earlier approached the High Court, claiming false implication and arguing that the murders stemmed from internal strife in the TDP. After the High Court refused them interim bail, they moved the Supreme Court.

The brothers alleged that the murders were the result of political infighting within the TDP and accused the Chandrababu Naidu government of carrying out a political witch-hunt against YSRCP leaders. They pointed out that the local SP, on the day of the incident, had stated that the killings were due to infighting.

Reinforcing their argument, the brothers said even the complainant had not mentioned them in initial media statements, and the case against them was an afterthought to frame them.

Hearing the petition, the bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta remarked, “It is strange that the first five accused in the FIR belong to the same party as the victims.” Subsequently, the Supreme Court issued notices to the respondents and granted the Pinnelli brothers protection from arrest until further hearing.