Andhra High Court dismisses Jagan’s bail petition

Hyderabad  :  The Andhra Pradesh High Court Monday dismissed the bail petition of YSR Congress party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case.

Justice B. Seshasayana Reddy, who had reserved his orders Thursday, dismissed the statutory bail plea of Jaganmohan Reddy as not maintainable.

The MP from Kadapa sought bail on the ground that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to formally charge him for seven offences he is accused of committing even after the stipulated 90-day period.

The judge, however, agreed with the CBI contention that Jaganmohan Reddy was not entitled for the bail as the 90-day statutory provision did not apply to his case.

The agency told the court that Jagan, as the son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy is popularly known, was arrested only in the Vanpic deal case. The CBI said investigations were on in other cases.

A lawyer of Jagan told reporters that the court would hear the regular bail petition later in the day.

The court order is yet another blow to Jagan, whose two bail pleas were dismissed earlier this month by a special court dealing with CBI cases. The Supreme Court in October had refused to grant bail to him.

Jagan, who turned 40 last Friday, was arrested by CBI in May on allegations that he conspired with his father and then chief minister to show undue favours to individuals and companies which invested in his businesses.

The CBI in August had formally charged him in a case pertaining to the allotment of land for the Vodarevu and Nizampatnam ports and the Vanpic industrial corridor project.

Senior cabinet minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and former minister Mopidevi Venkatramna were also named as accused in the cases. Venkatramna was Monday granted an interim bail till Jan 2.