In fast paced developments in the corporate world pertaining to Andhra Pradesh, Mr Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, MP of Kadapa, appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); former founder-chairman of Satyam Computers, Mr B. Ramalinga Raju, got bail from the Supreme Court and an industrialist Mr Koneru Prasad was arrested.
Mr Jagan, son of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who arrived at the CBI office around 10.30 a.m., was questioned for about two hours. The focus was on the illegal mining case and Mr Jagan's connections with Mr Gali Janardhana Reddy, former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader and owner of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
There was a huge gathering of supporters at the Koti office of the CBI. The agency has also been probing the illegal assets cases pertaining to him for the past two months on the directive of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Mr Jagan told newspersons that the CBI had called him as a witness in its probe against OMC, owned by Mr Janardhana Reddy.
“I was called to give opinion in the same way as Ms Sabita Indra Reddy, who was the Mines Minister in YSR Cabinet”. I requested the CBI to probe the role of the TDP Chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, who as the Chief Miniser issued a G.O. allocating 64 acres of land to OMC in 2002, Mr Jagan alleged waving a copy of the GO.
In September, the investigating agency had arrested Mr Janardhana Reddy from Bellary district of Karnataka and brought to Hyderabad, where he is under judicial custody in the Chenchalguda Jail.
The mining licences were given to OMC during the Chief Ministership of Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
The CBI had also quizzed a senior IAS officer of the State cadre, Ms Srilakshmi, who was the secretary of the Mines Department and Mr Rajagopal, who headed the A.P. Mining Development Corporation in the illegal mining case.
Meanwhile, the CBI has also arrested industrialist, Mr Koneru Prasad, in the EMAAR-APIIC case.
The Chairman of Trimex Group and a key linkman between several top politicians and Dubai-based industry, Mr Prasad is alleged to have made huge profits in the sale of plots and villas in the Emaar Hills township, which caused loss to the APIIC (Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation).