JOIN USEven as March 31, the deadline set by the Supreme Court for the CBI to file the final charge sheet in the disproportionate assets case against Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, is fast approaching, YSR Congress leaders are worried that the delay in filing the charge sheet may impede their efforts to secure bail for the party president.
Sources said the CBI is likely to file a supplementary charge sheet by April 10, instead of final one, in order to uphold its commitment to the Supreme Court. The CBI sought more time from the apex court to complete the probe as the court has directed the agency to file a single document instead, not multiple charge sheets in the case.
The case involves seven companies: Sandur Power, Bharati/ Raghuram Cements, Dalmia Cements, India Cements, Kolkata-based suitcase companies, Lepakshi Knowledge Hub and Indu Projects.
Ambati Rambabu, YSR Congress spokesperson, however, was not sure whether the CBI will file a final charge sheet.
Quoting CBI Joint Director Lakshminarayana’s recent comments that the apex court has set no deadline but only directed to speed up the investigation, he said the CBI was adopting “delaying tactics” by summoning prominent persons and thus expanding the scope of investigation.
The YSRC is said to be planning to approach the CBI court in the first week of April, seeking bail for their leader.
Meanwhile, the investigating agency has stepped up its investigation.
It has summoned K V P Ram Chandra Rao, Congress MP and close associate of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and the then chief security officer M Ramesh for questioning.
Ramesh, at present West Godavari SP, was asked about YSR’s frequent visitors and the nature of their visits.
He was also queried about the role of YSR aide Sureedu, personal and private secretaries and other bureaucrats in the CMO.
The CBI has already filed four charge sheets and arrested industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad, former minister Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao and former special secretary K V Brahmananda Reddy apart from Jagan. The investigating agency has justified the delay in investigation by saying that the case was very complex and wide.
Sources said the CBI had to send letters rogatory to several countries from where different suitcase companies have pumped money into Jagan’s firms. “Such international links to the case cause further delays,” the sources added.