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Hyderabad:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Sunday evening arrested
YSR Congress party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in a
disproportionate assets case.
YSR party leader J. Prabhakar Rao told reporters outside Dilkusha
Guest House, the CBI camp office, that the CBI has arrested Jagan,
as the young leader is popularly known.
The MP and son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was
arrested after the CBI grilled him for the third consecutive day.
Anticipating violent protests by the supporters of Jagan, police
went on high alert across the state.
Police stepped up security at the guest house, Jagan's residence
and YSR party office and at other important places in the state
capital.
Security was also tightened in the districts. Policemen were out
on the streets while leaders and activists of the YSR party were
also arrested at some places. The state-owned road transport
corporation stopped plying its buses as a precautionary measure in
some districts.
Prabhakar Rao appealed to YSR party cadre to remain peaceful.
Jagan, as the Kadapa MP is popularly known, did not come out of
Dilkusha Guest House even after 7 p.m., triggering speculation
that the investigating agency had taken him into custody.
Jagan, who was grilled for eight hours on Friday and Saturday,
remained inside the guest house, adding to the tension among his
supporters.
The arrest was confirmed when Jagan's mother Vijayamma and other
family members drove to the guest house to meet him. At this
juncture, Prabhakar Rao came out of the guest house to confirm the
arrest.
Jagan, one of the richest MPs in the country with declared assets
of Rs.356 crore, was arrested a day before he was scheduled to
appear in the CBI court with regard to first of the three charge
sheets filed so far by the investigating agency.
The young leader and 71 others were booked by CBI in August last
year after Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered a CBI probe, acting
on the petitions filed by Congress leader P. Shankar Rao and some
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders.
Jagan is accused of amassing huge wealth after his father became
the chief minister in 2004. The CBI believes that Jagan conspired
with his father to dole out favours to certain companies in return
for the investments they made in his firms.
Jagan, who the accused number one, is the fifth one to be arrested
in the case. The CBI Thursday arrested Excise Minister Mopidevi
Venkataramna for his role in issuing government orders alloting
lands to Vanpic company for a port project.
Industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad, one of the promoters of Vanpic,
and bureaucrat K.V. Brahmananda Reddy are already in judicial
custody. Their 10-day CBI custody ended Sunday.
Jagan's auditor Vijay Sai Reddy was the first accused to be
arrested last year. He was recently released on bail.
Jagan reached the guest house Sunday at 10.30 a.m. He was
accompanied by Congress MP Sabbam Hari and Congress legislators
Alla Nani and S.Krishna Rao.
A few minutes before Jagan reached the guest house, Vijay Sai
Reddy reached there with his lawyer. He was also questioned by the
CBI.
The CBI also grilled Prasad and Brahmananda Reddy. However,
Venkataramna, who was arrested four days ago, was Sunday rushed to
a corporate hospital after he complained of uneasiness. He was
discharged and brought back to the guest house after few tests and
treatment.
The agency grilled Jagan as to how his wealth increased
dramatically after his father became the chief minister in 2004
and how investments flowed into his companies.
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