YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to question former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the alleged irregularities in Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC) lease.
Talking to the media after a two-hour long examination by officials of the CBI at their Koti office here, Mr Jaganmohan Reddy flashed a Government Order issued by the then Chief Minister Mr. Naidu giving 64 acre lease to Rammohan Reddy of Obulapuram Mining Corporation in 2002.
He said he had asked the CBI officials why it should not be construed that it was Mr. Naidu, who had issued the GO. “I asked them why Mr. Naidu should not be questioned in connection with issuance of this GO,” he said. “Please take the GO into consideration and summon Mr.Naidu for questioning,” Mr Jagan said.
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Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said it was 18 months since the CBI had undertaken probe into alleged irregularities in the OMC mining. During course of their investigation, they had summoned Home Minister P.Sabitha Indra Reddy as a witness and taken her opinion. “In the same manner, I was called as a witness to give my opinion and not as an accused in the case,” he observed.
He directed his ire at two Telugu dailies and a Telugu news channel for targeting him repeatedly. “Do these media houses have any journalistic values,” he questioned.
High drama prevailed at the CBI office and its surrounding areas in Koti with YSR Congress Party activists turning out in large numbers.
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Some of them staged a dharna protesting against the alleged witch-hunt against their leader. An enthusiastic YSR Congress activist even climbed a bill board and threatened to jump if Mr. Jagan was arrested.
Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was accompanied by Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, MLAs – T.Balaraju and B. Babu Rao. The entire CBI complex was teeming with police personnel with an elaborate security cordon thrown around it.