Former AP Minister Mopidevi granted interim bail

The court allowed Mopidevi an interim bail for 10-days from December 24 to January 2 to enable him to visit Sabarimala for darshan of Lord Ayyappa at his own expenses along with an escort consisting of one CBI constable.

Mopidevi, who is under judicial remand and lodged in Chanchalguda jail since his arrest by CBI on May 24, had earlier moved the court stating he was in Ayyappa Diksha and required to go to Sabarimala for darshan of Lord Ayyappa.

The petitioner submitted he has been an ardent devotee of Lord Ayyappa and visiting Sabarimala since 1995 and requested the court to grant him an interim bail to visit Sabarimala and other religious places en route.

The court while further directing Mopidevi to surrender before it on January 3, asked him to submit two sureties of Rs 25,000 each towards the interim bail.

He was also told not to meddle with investigation, not to threaten, induce or make any promise to any person related to the case.

The CBI had earlier alleged Mopidevi, Minister for Infrastructure and Investments during YSR regime, approved the Cabinet memorandum containing proposals for awarding of a construction project by withholding important aspects related to it such as total extent of land required for the project.

However, the former minister had contended he was falsely implicated in the case and entire processing of the files were done in routine course of business of the Ministry and he dealt with transactions in a bona-fide manner in line with approvals by the then Chief Minister (late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy) and the Cabinet.

According to CBI, industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad, a promoter of the project, got nearly 24,000 acres of land sanctioned by AP government for the project as quid-pro-quo for investments made by him in Jagan's businesses when late Y S Reddy was the Chief Minister.