SC rejects Jagan Reddy's bail plea fearing he could interfere with probe

The Supreme Court today rejected the bail plea filed by YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case where is he is accused of benefiting from deals that were struck while his father was Chief Minister. Striking down the Andhra Pradesh leader’s bail plea, the court observed that Jaganmohan’s release will hamper the probe in the case which is of high importance. While rejecting his bail plea, the court also noted that the likelihood of tampering with evidence and influencing witnesses can’t be ruled out on Reddy’s release. Jaganmohan had moved the apex court challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s 24 January order refusing to grant him bail in the case. [caption id=“attachment_766445” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Jagan Reddy has been in jail for close to a year now. PTI[/caption] Jaganmohan, who was arrested on 27 May, 2012 by CBI on corruption charges, is presently under judicial custody and is lodged at the Chanchalguda Central Prison in Hyderabad. In October last year, the apex court had dismissed Reddy’s bail plea in the case. While dismissing the bail application, the apex court had said that the petitioner was open to renew his bail before the trial court “on completion of the investigation by CBI” on certain aspects. The CBI had told the court that it would be filing a final charge sheet on Sandur Power, Bharati/Raghuram Cements, Dalmia Cements, India Cements and Kolkata-based suitcase companies allegedly sending money into Reddy’s companies including Lepakshi knowledge hub project and Indu Projects. The agency has filed several charge sheets against Jaganmohan, an MP from Kadapa, and others. It has accused him and his late father and the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy of hatching a conspiracy to defraud the government. According to it, Jaganmohan allegedly influenced his father in doling out certain favours to various players, who made investments of several crores of rupees into his businesses as a quid pro quo. Several ministers, who had also served in YSR Reddy’s cabinet, and officials are under CBI’s scanner for allegedly issuing controversial orders, allotting land, granting mining licences and other favours to various companies promoted by Jaganmohan Reddy is in judicial custody till 13 May.  His previous pleas for bail have been rejected by the trial court and the Andhra Pradesh High court. With inputs from PTI