Hyderabad: YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy reached the Nampally Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Monday, a day after his arrest. Jagan's auditor Vijay Sai Reddy has also been summoned by the court. Jagan's wife Bharathi Reddy was also present in the CBI court.
The security has been tightened in Hyderabad. The YSR Congress chief was arrested on Sunday in the disproportionate assets case. His party has called for a bandh across Andhra Pradesh and his family is on a dharna outside his Hyderabad residence.
Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed in sensitive coastal districts like Prakasam, Guntur, Khammam, Krishna and Jagan's home district Kadapa.
Railway and bus services are being closely monitored as well.
Jagan, meanwhile, spent Sunday night at the guest house where he was questioned for three days.
With the CBI having filed three chargesheets in Jagan's disproportionate assets case, this was the fifth arrest after the state excise minister was recently taken into custody.
Speaking with CNN-IBN before leaving for the third day of questioning on Sunday and hours before his arrest, Jagan accused the CBI of deliberately delaying the questioning at the behest of the Congress.
"They want to keep me away from campaigning and postpone the by-elections," Jagan said.
The disproportionate assets case
Jagan is accused of conspiring with his father to dole out favours to companies which invested in his businesses in a quid pro quo arrangement. He was questioned by CBI investigators for over seven hours on Friday and over eight hours on Saturday. After the questioning amidst high security, Jagan remained unperturbed and said the questioning was cool and peaceful.
The disproportionate assets case pertains to the Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Ports and Industrial Corridor (VANPIC) deal. The CBI questioned Jagan in the presence of industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and senior bureaucrat KV Brahamandna Reddy who are already under arrest.
Prasad was the promoter in the VANPIC deal and allegedly invested Rs 850 crore in the business of Jagan for land allotment made to the VANPIC project by the then YSR regime on quid-pro-quo basis. The CBI had on Thursday arrested Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana in connection with the VANPIC project.
Jagan's anticipatory bail petition was rejected on Thursday by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, hours after the CBI arrested Venkataramana.
The High Court as well as the CBI had turned down his pleas seeking exemption from appearing before the agency till June 15 due to his engagement with the by-polls campaign.
Charges against Jagan Mohan Reddy
The following charges have been slapped on the YSR Congress chief.
Section 120b - Criminal conspiracy.
Section 420 - Cheating.
Section 477a - Forgery of documents.
Section 409 - Criminal breach of trust.
Section 13(1)d, 13(2) r/w 477 - Prevention of Corruption Act.
Comments
0 comment