Almost eight months after launching the investigation into the alleged quid-pro-quo deals involving large flow of investments into his firms, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kadapa MP and the first accused in the case, on Friday.
Jagan was escorted from his home with heavy police security to the CBI office in the morning. The investigative team, led by CBI joint director VV Laxminarayana, reportedly grilled Jagan seeking information about the government-related decisions, including the awarding of the integrated port and industrial corridor, called the Vanpic project, and the investments that had come into his media and other companies.
It may be recalled that a state minister, an industrialist and a government official have already been arrested in their specific involvement in the Vanpic project deal, one of the major instance being cited in the CBI charge sheet, while the second accused in the case, Vijai Sai Reddy, is currently on bail after spending over three months in judicial custody.
Emerging from the government’s Dilkusha guest house, which was handed over to the CBI for facilitating investigations into three high-profile cases, including the one on Jagan, after spending over seven hours with the investigative team, the MP said he had given all the clarifications sought by the CBI officials. Jagan also said he was asked to come again for questioning tomorrow.
“It was very cool and was very peaceful,” the MP told the media responding to a query on his impressions at the CBI office on day one.
Some media reports suggested that at one point of time Jagan was questioned in front of the arrested minister Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, industrialist and investor Nimmagadda Prasad and the government official to cross-verify each of their versions related to the Vanpic project and the investments made into Jagan’s firms by Prasad.
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The questioning is expected to last for a couple of more days till Monday when Jagan has been summoned to appear in person or through his lawyer before the CBI special court in this case.
The hearing on a petition seeking anticipatory bail by Jagan is also scheduled to be heard by the court on the same day.
Meanwhile, Jagan’s YSR Congress Party received a morale booster on Friday with senior TDP leader and former Rajya Sabha member MV Mysoora Reddy announcing his joining the party. Interestingly, the TDP leader had contested in the recent Kadapa by-election against Jagan.