"We have no role in the arrest of Jagan...He was arrested for his financial offences by the CBI on the orders of the High Court," he told a public meeting here as part of Congress campaign for the June 12 bye-election to Tirupati Assembly constituency.
Jagan was arrested by the CBI on May 27 in a disproportionate assets case and the high court had allowed the CBI to take him into its custody for five days from today for further questioning.
The Chief Minister also said Jagan would face jail term of 10 or 15 years if the charges against him were proved.
Senior Congress leader and Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad accused Jagan of forcing the bye-elections to 18 assembly constituencies and a Lok Sabha seat out of his "selfish and opportunistic political interests."
"Jagan does not deserve any mercy but we have great respect for late (chief minister) Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and his widow Y S Vijayamma," Azad said.
Rajya Sabha MP K Chiranjeevi and PCC President B Satyanarayana also addressed the meeting.
