'Reddy committed suicide due to personal problems'

Andhra Pradesh Congress chief K Kesava Rao's son K Venkat, accused of killing his business partner,says his friend has committed suicide and he is innocent.

Andhra Pradesh Congress chief K Kesava Rao's son K Venkat, accused of killing his business partner, on Tuesday said his friend had committed suicide because of "personal problems".

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Venkat, who is being interrogated by police in connection with the death of city-based realtor Prashanth Reddy under suspicious circumstances, said he was innocent.

"He (Reddy) was going through personal problems because of his two wives. He was in a state of depression," he said at the Banjara Hills assistant police commissioner's office, where he was being questioned since last night.

Reddy died of a bullet wound at Venkat's home in the posh Prashasan Nagar area in Hyderabad on Sunday. The two were said to be having differences over property matters.

The incident triggered ripples in political circles, leading to the resignation of Kesava Rao as state Congress chief to "facilitate a fair and impartial inquiry".

Noting that Reddy was his "close friend", Venkat, against whom a murder case has been registered, said he was "pained over the unfortunate death".

"He had two wives and that was his problem. He used to discuss his personal problems with me and used to come to my home regularly," Venkat said.

Asked about the murder charge against him, Venkat said, "The truth will come out in the police investigation. I have told everything to police."