A CBI court in Hyderabad granted bail to YSR Congress Party president and Member of Parliament YS Jaganmohan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case on Monday.
The court brushed aside CBI’s contention that the influential accused can obstruct the process of fair trial if freed.
He has been granted bail on the condition that he will not leave Hyderabad and try to influence any of the witnesses. He has also been asked to furnish a surety of Rs 2 lakh.
If the accused violates any condition of the bail, the CBI may approach the court for the cancellation of his bail, the court said. Arrested on May 27, 2012, Jagan spent nearly 16 months in Chanchalguda jail of Hyderabad.
Interestingly, the CBI also told the court that it had completed the investigations in accordance with the High Court’s orders. The agency has so far filed 10 chargesheets against Jagan for corruption, cheating and misuse of power.
The CBI alleged that various companies owned by Jagan had got huge investments from other companies as quid pro quo for the favours from the State Government when his father was the Chief Minister.
Apart from the industrialists like Nimmagadda Prasad and Srinivasan (former BBCI chairman), the CBI has also included the names of Ministers Sabita Indra Reddy, Dharmana Prasad and J Geeta Reddy and former Minister M Venkatramana in the chargessheets.
With the news of Jagan getting the bail spreading, his supporters broke into celebrations outside his residence, party office and the court premises. In Kadapa and Pulivendula, his supporters took out processions, burst crackers and distributed sweets.
Jagan had moved a fresh bail application on the ground that as president of the YSRCP, he must be with the people when they were agitating against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. But the court condition that he should not leave Hyderabad will get in his way to take part in the agitation for a united Andhra Pradesh.