Jagan set to walk out of jail; supporters gather to welcome him

He was arrested by CBI on corruption charges on May 27 last year and has been lodged in the central prison since then

Supporters of YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy, along with scores of party workers, today assembled outside the Chenchalguda Central prison here, waiting for their leader's release after he was granted bail in the alleged quid pro quo investments case.

Scores of Jagan supporters and YSRC workers raised slogans and danced in front of the jail, from where the 40-year-old leader is likely to walk out after nearly 16 months, on submission of necessary documents in the special CBI court.

In view of this, security around the jail premises was tightened with deployment of huge police force besides paramilitary forces.

Jagan was yesterday granted conditional bail by a special CBI court which directed that he be enlarged on bail on submission of Rs 2 lakh personal bond and two sureties of like amount.

The Kadapa MP was arrested by CBI on corruption charges on May 27 last year and has been lodged in the central prison since then.

The case relates to investments made by various companies in Jagan's firms in return for alleged undue favours extended to them, including land and water allotments, during the tenure of his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister between 2004 and 2009.

Jagan had moved the court for bail on September 11 on the ground that the four-month deadline set by the Supreme Court for completion of investigation by the CBI had ended on September 9.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had on October 5 last year and on May 9 this year rejected the bail petitions of Jagan. In May, the apex court had directed CBI to complete its investigation and file the charge sheet(s) within four months.

Thereafter, the appellant could move the trial court, which would be "free to consider the prayer for bail independently on its merits without being influenced by dismissal of the present appeal," the Supreme Court had said.