CBI arrests Jagan in disproportionate assets case

After questioning for the third consecutive day, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested YSR Congress president and Kadapa MP, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in the disproportionate assets case.

Jagan’s arrest, under sections 120B, 420, 409 and 477A, was confirmed by Congress MP Sabbam Hari and MLC Jupudi Prabhakar Rao. He is expected to be produced before the special CBI court tomorrow.

Earlier on Sunday, Jagan, along with his financial advisor V Vijay Sai Reddy who is now on bail in the same case, reached the state government’s Dilkusha guest house, which was handed over to the CBI for facilitating investigations into three high-profile cases, including the one on him, at 10.30 am on Sunday.

The CBI had already questioned Jagan for seven hours each on Friday and Saturday. The investigative agency had been grilling Jagan as to how his wealth increased dramatically after his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy became chief minister in 2004. The CBI had already filed three charge sheets in the special CBI court naming Jagan as the prime accused in the case.

A CBI court on May 8 issued notices to Jagan and 12 others to appear on May 28 in the disproportionate assets case. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had earlier rejected his anticipatory bail application, following which, speculation about his arrest was growing.

YSR Congress spokesperson B Govardhan and MLC Prabhakar Rao told the media that “their party president was unjustly arrested by the CBI at Dilkusha Guest House though he had been called for questioning.”

Meanwhile, fearing a backlash from the YSR Congress workers, the AP police clamped 144 section across all the major towns and cities in the state, including forcing business establishments to pull down shutters and asking the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation to curtail bus services.