Jagan appears before CBI

Kadapa MP and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday spent over two hours with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials at the latter's office as they recorded his statement in the illegal iron ore mining case framed against former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

Tension prevailed in the vicinity of the CBI office in the morning with supporters of Jagan, who had gathered in large numbers, raising anti-government slogans.

Emerging out of the office, Jagan, however, went offensive against the investigative agency for not having questioned former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in a similar manner, under whose tenure Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) of Janardhan Reddy had got its first iron ore mining lease in 2002.

While showing a copy of the said government order (GO) issued in 2002 to the waiting media, he said: “Mining lease in 64 acres was first issued to one Mr Rammohan Reddy in 1996 and the same was transferred to OMC in 2002 — both during Naidu’s tenure as chief minister. This clearly shows that he had favoured OMC. I gave this copy to the CBI and asked them as to why they did not summon Naidu. I also requested the officials to summon Naidu to know his involvement.”

As he was asked to give his statement under Section 160 (1) of Criminal Procedure Code after one-and-a-half years into investigation, it is proved beyond any doubt that he was just regarded as a witness and not an accused in any manner, Jagan told reporters while criticising a section of media for dubbing him as an accused in the case.

Jagan’s turn came after CBI recorded similar statements from home minister Sabitha Reddy, who previously held the mining portfolio, and a couple of bureaucrats, who headed the mining department when YS Rajasekhara Reddy was chief minister.

According to reports, CBI thinks there is a link to establish quid pro quo between Janardhan Reddy and YSR's son based on an agreement entered by OMC with Red Gold, allegedly floated by Jagan, under which half of the ore extracted from the new lease area granted by the YSR government was to be given at a discount to the second company in exchange for providing technical support.