Jagan assets case: Mopidevi gets interim bail

A special CBI court here today granted conditional interim bail to former Andhra Pradesh Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, an accused in the case relating to alleged quid-pro-quo investments involving Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's companies.

The court allowed the plea of the former minister, who had sought bail on health grounds and granted him interim bail till October 31 with a direction that he should surrender before it on November 1.

The defence had earlier submitted to the court that the doctor had advised a two-stage treatment plan for his client, including steroid therapy in the first phase and a surgical intervention in the second phase if the problem persisted and the treatment would require over three months.

Mopidevi was further directed not to leave Hyderabad without prior permission from the court and he was asked to submit a personal bond of Rs one lakh and two sureties of the like amount towards the interim bail. The court also directed him not to influence witnesses directly or indirectly.

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

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 investments made by him in Jagan's businesses when late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy was the Chief Minister.

Mopidevi, who was arrested on May 24 last year, is presently under judicial custody and lodged at Chanchalguda Central prison.

Meanwhile, the court dismissed jailed YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's plea to direct the authorities of Chanchalguda jail, where he is lodged, to allow him to get food from home.

Jagan had sought the home food for speedy recovery following his fast he had undertaken to protest the move to bifurcate the state. However, the court directed the jail authorities to prepare the specified food referred by the doctors, if any, and serve him.