Jagan Reddy moves court seeking CBI to act as per SC order

Hyderabad, April 11: Jailed Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy on April 10 moved a special CBI court here, seeking directions to the central agency to act as per the Supreme Court order with regard to filing of charge sheets in connection with the case against him for his alleged quid-pro-quo deals.

The YSR Congress chief, who filed a memo through his counsel submitted that in view of the specific undertaking given by the CBI to the Supreme Court which is also incorporated in the order dated October 5, 2012, the CBI filed a charge sheet (fifth charge sheet in the Jagan assets case) on April 8.

While opposing Jagan's bail plea last year, the CBI had told the Supreme Court that it would file one final charge sheet as early as possible, after investigation was completed, by March 31, 2013.

The CBI had filed a report before the Supreme Court stating that investigations were still on about seven aspects, namely Sandur Power, grant of miling lease to Bharati/ Raghuram Cements, Penna Cements and its group companies, Dalmia Cements, India Cements, investments through paper companies based in Kolkata and Mumbai, popularly known as suitcase companies, the Lepakshi Knowledge Hub project, as well as Indu Projects.

However, the central agency filed a fifth charge sheet on April 8 about alleged investments made by Dalmia Cements and two other cement firms, Eeswar Cements and Raghuram Cements, in businesses allegedly promoted by Jaganmohan Reddy.

"The CBI action is in violation of the Supreme Court order and is not sustainable in law, in as much as the CBI undertaking has been recorded by the Supreme Court in its order dated October 5, 2012," Jagannmohan Reddy said, requesting the CBI special court to issue appropriate directions to the CBI to act in terms of the Supreme Court order.

Jagan's aide Vijay Sai Reddy, also filed a memo in the court, requesting it to consider this charge sheet as the final one, since the CBI had earlier informed the Supreme Court that it would file "one final charge sheet" after completing the investigation.

The CBI is likely to file its reply about YS Jaganmohan Reddy's memos on April 15. On April 8, the CBI had filed a fifth charge sheet also naming Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy as one of the accused.

Sabita is the third minister from Andhra Pradesh to figure in five charge sheets filed by the CBI in connection with properties allegedly amassed by Jagan, which are disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Other accused include Jagan, his aide Vijay Sai Reddy, Dalmia Cements Managing Director Punit Dalmia, suspended IAS officer Y Sri Lakshmi and the then Director of Mines, Andhra Pradesh, V D Rajgopal.

In its four charge sheets filed earlier, the CBI had alleged that Jagan and his late father YS Rajsekhar Reddy had hatched a conspiracy to defraud the Andhra Pradesh government.

According to these charge sheets, the Andhra Pradesh government headed by the late YS Rajsekhar Reddy, allegedly granted favours to certain companies, which made investments (at a very high premium) in businesses owned by his son Jagan, as a quid pro quo.

Jagan, arrested on May 27 last year, is currently in judicial remand and lodged at the Chanchalguda Central Prison here.

PTI