YSR Congress president Y.S.Jaganmohan Reddy was produced before the special CBI court here on Monday, a day after he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday.
The CBI counsels led by Ashok Bhan sought remand of Mr. Jagan to interrogate him even as a battery of lawyers argued in favour of the Kadapa MP's bail petition. Amid unprecedented security arrangements at the Nampally courts complex, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was taken from Dilkusha Guest House to the court and produced before the Principal Judge for ACB cases A. Pullaiah. The Judge is expected to pronounce his order later in the afternoon.
There was some commotion as the court hall was packed with lawyers and journalists. As the magistrate wanted the hall to be cleared of people, there was protests from the lawyers prompting the judge to retire to his chambers. After the hall was evicted of visitors and lawyers, the arguments commenced.
The CBI counsel argued that Mr. Jagan was masquerading as a victim when, in fact, he had received investments of Rs. 1200 crore in his companies and received Rs. 300 crore as bribes. He had not cooperated with the CBI during questioning over the last three days and had given `wish-washy' answers.
Mr. Ashok Bhan said the Kadapa MP amassed wealth by misuing the official position of his father, the late Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, by way of giving licences, lands and permissions to the investors. A portion of the money he received was brought here through the hawala route from companies in Mauritius and Luxembourg. Mr. Jagan needed to be confronted with investor Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat K. V. Brahmananda Reddy to get to the truth.
Mr. Jagan's counsel Mukul Rohtagi said his arrest itself was illegal and aimed at preventing him from participating in the bye-election campaign. The CBI was acting like a super-cop. It had called him for questioning even when the Court had served summons asking him to appear either in person or through a pleader. It was only to pre-empt the appearance by his pleader that the CBI chose to summon and arrest him.
Earlier, before Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was produced in the court, his wife Bharati, his uncle Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy met him at Dilkusha Guest House. His mother Vijayamma continued her dharna at her Lotus Pond residence amid tight security. A large number of YSR Congress Party activists joined her.
Meanwhile, the State-wide bandh called by the YSR Congress to protest against Mr. Jagan's arrest went off peacefully, barring stray incidents of stone-pelting on APSRTC buses. A large number of YSR Congress leaders were taken into prevent took place and all its 18 candidates for the bye-elections placed under house arrest.
The Central Governing Council of YSR Congress Party took stock of the situation at a meeting. It is is expected to plead with Ms. Vijayamma, who is the honorary president of the party, to call off her protest and begin campaigning for the party from Wednesday.
AICC leaders were closely monitoring the situation with party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Vayalar Ravi calling up the Chief Minister N.Kiran Kumar Reddy and the PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana since last night for updates on the political developments. They reportedly enquired whether Ms. Vijayamma’s move to campaign would impact the Congress fortunes in the bye-elections.
