CBI court to expedite trial in Jagan case

A special CBI court on Friday decided to speed up the trial in the cases of alleged quid pro quo investments involving YSR Congress president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy and others by taking up the hearing for one entire day every week.

The court decided to devote every Friday to expedite the hearing of the cases and discharge petitions filed by the accused.

The special court decided this when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a copy of Aug 10 order of Hyderabad High Court for speeding up the case.

A CBI counsel said the special court decided to devote a full day every week to expedite the case.

The high court had issued directions while hearing a PIL filed by Y. Vedavyas, an advocate from Vijayawada, who wanted that the hearing of cases involving Jaganmohan Reddy and also other sitting MLAs and MPs under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 be expedited.

Jagan (as Jaganmohan Reddy is popularly known), the prime accused in the case facing the charges of amassing huge wealth through illegal means, is a member of Andhra Pradesh assembly and is also the leader of opposition.

The cases pertain to alleged investments made by various private firms and individuals in Jagan's businesses as quid pro quo for various favours bestowed on them by the government of his father Y. S Rajasekhara Reddy in undivided Andhra Pradesh between 2004 and 2009.

The federal agency had booked Jagan and 72 others on charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and corruption.

Jagan was arrested by the CBI in May 2012. He spent 16 months in jail before being released on bail in 2013.

The CBI has filed 11 charge sheets in the case against Jagan and others including several former Andhra Pradesh ministers, IAS officers, corporate entities and businessmen.