Jagan remanded in 14-day custody

The special CBI court in Nampally has remanded Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in 14 days’ judicial custody in the disproportionate assets case. The court refused custody to the CBI for further interrogation.

Justice A Pulliah, who heard both sides in a packed court room for more than two hours, rejected the custody petition of the CBI and bail petition of Jagan and remanded him in judicial custody till June 11. The police then shifted the YSR Congress Party president to the Chanchalguda Central Prison.

Jagan was brought to the designated court at 10.30 am amid unprecedented security from Dikusha guest house after a mandatory health check up. Jagan’s wife Bharathi arrived ahead of Jagan and stayed on till the judge pronounced his order. The 11 other accused in the case, including Vijaysai Reddy, B P Acharya, Brahmananda Reddy, were given conditional bail.

“I don’t know why the CBI has arrested me. I have been cooperating with them . The agency asked me to appear before them while I was busy with the by-poll campaign,” Jagan told the judge.

Opening the argument, the CBI sought Jagan’s custody for 14 days saying he did not cooperate with the CBI during the past three days.

Senior CBI counsel Ashok Bhan alleged that Jagan “sent (bribe amount) abroad and got it reinvested in his business through hawala racket”. “Jagan can no longer masquerade as a victim of the CBI probe. He has robbed public properties. Investments to the tune of Rs 1,234 crore have been made in his companies and he himself got enriched by Rs 300 crore,” Bhan alleged, despite objections from Jagan’s counsel Mukul Rohtgi.

“It is a white collar crime committed by 74 accused, including Jagan, in a cool, calculated and preplanned manner and so far chargesheets have been filed against 24 accused.