Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought the custody of two former ministers of Andhra Pradesh Sabita Indra Reddy and Dharmana Prasad Rao in connection with the disproportionate assets case of YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
On a day when YSR congress president and MP Jaganmohan Reddy and Sabita Indra Reddy and other accused in the case appeared in the CBI special court, the CBI fled a memo in the court seeking the custody of the two ministers who recently resigned from the cabinet after they were charged by the CBI.
In its memo the CBI told the court that the interaction of the two former ministers with the media was hampering the investigation. The CBI also submitted a CD containing their interviews to the media.
Meanwhile the CBI special court postponed the hearing on the fifth charge sheet of Jaganmohan Reddy’s case to June 21. In response to the summons issued by the CBI court, accused No. 1 Jaganmohan Reddy, his auditor and financial advisor Vijay Sai Reddy were brought to the court from jail amid tight security. Sabita Indra Reddy, who recently resigned as home minister, also appeared before the court.
The other accused who appeared before the court include Punit Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Cements, and S Divakar Reddy of Eshwar Cements. Mining department director VD Rajagopal and suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi, who are out of jail on bail, also came to the court. However Srilakshmi, who came in an ambulance because of ill health could not go to the court on the second floor and court officials went to the ambulance to mark her presence on the request of her lawyer.
Jaganmohan Reddy, who on the permission of the court was allowed to meet his family members and Vijay Sai Reddy were later taken back to jail.
Friday’s appearance was in connection with the Dalmia Cements case in which the CBI has charged that the company was issued with a mining license as a quid pro quo for the investments the company made to the firms of Jaganmohan Reddy. Sabita Indra Reddy was the mining minister in YS Rajasekhar Reddy cabinet when the decision was taken.
A day earlier Jaganmohan Reddy suffered yet another major setback when the adjudicating authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act approved the attachment of Jaganmohan Reddy’s assets by the Enforcement Directorate.
