Even as the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh was reeling under yet another blow caused by the Central Bureau of Investigation naming State Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy as an accused in Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets case, the Minister herself was mulling the idea of putting in her papers.
Sabitha Indra Reddy, who has been named as accused No 4 in the latest chargesheet, was Minister for Mining when she allegedly misused her power to grant favour to Dalmia Cement company in exchange of the company making investments in the companies owned by YS Jagannmohan Reddy, son of then Chief Minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy.
Sabitha is the third Minister of YSR Cabinet to be named as an accused in different chargesheets related to Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets case. Earlier, the then Infrastructure Minister, Mopidevi Venkat Ramanna and then Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao were also named accused in other chargesheets for their role in taking decisions favourable to Jaganmohan Reddy’s companies.
In the latest chargesheet filed before the special CBI court, Sabitha has been named as an accused No. 4 while Jaganmohan Reddy was accused No. 1, Jagan’s financial advisory Vijay Sai Reddy was No. 2 and Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Cement was the accused No. 3. There are nine other accused in the chargesheet.
Naming of Sabitha as accused No. 4 has come as a big shock to the Congress Government and its leadership. Though Sabitha was quick to go in to a sulk and offer to quit, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy advised her against any hasty decision.
Several Ministers made a beeline to her Srinagar colony residence since on Monday evening to dissuade her from resignation. They include the State Congress president B Satyanarayana. Their worry was understandable as the resignation of the Home Minister will open a Pandora’s Box as many other Ministers were also under the scanner. Opposition’s pressure was bound to mount for the exit of at least four more Ministers currently under the scanner of the CBI for their allegedly involvement in Jagan’s case.
While Venkatramanna was already in jail, Dharmana Prasad Rao’s resignation letter was rejected earlier. The other Ministers, whose role was being investigated, include Kanna lakshminarayana, Ponnala lakshmaiah and J Geeta Reddy.
Those who called on her include Ministers Jana Reddy, Kanna lakshmi Narayana, Pitani Satyanarayana and Vatti Vasantha Kumar.
Minister, who hails from Ranga Reddy district, spent entire Tuesday in consulting her confidantes and close followers on her next course of action.
According to the CBI chargesheet, Sabitha Indra Reddy misused her power as a public servant in granting limestone mining lease in an extent of 407.05 hectares in Kadapa distrit in 2008 for 30 years when she was minster for mining and geology. The land was originally leased to Eswar Cement but it was transferred to Dalmia Cement.
CBI said that it was a quid pro quo arrangement as in exchange of this deal, Dalmia Cements bought the shares of Bharati Cements of Jaganmohan Reddy on a huge premium. CBI said that Dalmia Cement first bought the shares in 2007 on a premium of Rs 110 and then in 2008 on a premium of Rs. 1440 per share.