AP minister held: Jagan arrest imminent

For the first time in the political history of Andhra Pradesh, a cabinet min­ister was arrested by the CBI on Thursday and sent to jail for violating norms on allotment of land to private firms.

Excise and Prohibition Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao was arrested by the CBI after his interrogation by the agency for the second consecutive day at the Dilkusha Guest house, the CBI camp office, on Thursday. The CBI later filed a memo in the designated court, adding Mopidevi as an accused in the disproportionate wealth case against YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

Mopidevi was the minister for ports and infrastructure in 2007 in the erstwhile YS Rajasekhara Reddy government and had issued the four controversial GOs (Government Orders) 29 to 32, doling out huge tracts of land to the VANPIC project of Nimmagadda Prasad combine, including the RAK of UAE and the Nava­yuga group.

In the remand note, the CBI charged the minister with having accepted a bribe of Rs 8 crore in the VANPIC project land allocations. In yet another sensational development during the day, the CBI Special Court in Nampally refused to grant anticipatory bail to Jagan. The Kadapa MP now is forced to appear before the CBI camp office for questioning on Friday, and is likely to be arrested.

Addressing an election meet in Guntur, Jagan dropped hints that his arrest is imminent.