All eyes are on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the question whether it will meet the March 31 deadline for filing the final charge-sheet in the disproportionate assets case against Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
In case the CBI fails to file the charge-sheet on the last working day of this month (March 30), securing bail for Mr. Jagan may be delayed further. It is understood that the CBI may file a supplementary charge-sheet, instead of final one, in order to uphold its commitment to the Supreme Court, most likely by April 10.
It had sought more time from the Apex Court to complete the probe on the ground that it wanted to file a single document (instead of multiple charge-sheets) pertaining to seven left over issues - Sandur Power, Bharati/Raghuram Cements, Dalmia Cements, India Cements, Kolkata-based suitcase companies, Lepakshi Knowledge Hub and Indu Projects.
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The agency has stepped up investigation in recent days by examining K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, Congress MP and close associate of late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and even YSR’s Chief Security Officer, M. Ramesh.
Mr. Ramesh, presently West Godavari SP, who was summoned to the Dilkusha Guest House here on Thursday, was asked about the frequent visitors to YSR and their nature of appointments. 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 Mr. Jagan.
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CBI sources, however, justify the long time taken for completing investigation. They say the case was very complex and its contours are large.
They had to send letters rogatory to several countries from where different companies had pumped money into Mr. Jagan’s firms. International ramifications of the case was the main reason for the delay in completing the investigation, the sources added.
YSR Congress spokespersons maintain that the CBI was unlikely to file the charge-sheet on March 31. They say the CBI was adopting ‘delaying tactics’ by summoning prominent persons and thus expanding the scope of investigation. It was unlikely that the final charge-sheet would be filed in the near future.
They would approach the CBI court some time in first week of April seeking bail for Mr. Jagan.