Tension in AP as CBI arrests Jaganmohan Reddy

Mangalore Today/ NDTV

Hyderabad, May 27: Andhra Pradesh armed police and Rapid Action force staged  flag marches in several towns including Kadapa, shops downed their shutters and state bus transport was curtailed, as CBI placed YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy under arrest in an illegal assets case today.


After three days of sustained interrogation, CBI arrested  Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the disproportionate assets case on Sunday night.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped all over the state fearing backlash from Jagan’s supporters.

There was near curfew like conditions in all major towns and cities of Andhra Pradesh, The Hindu reported.

 

 

Security personnel staged flag marches in several towns and, in places like Kadapa, forced shopkeepers to pull down shutters besides asking the A. P. State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) to drastically curtail bus services.

Jaganmohan Reddy’s arrest was communicated by the CBI to YSR Congress leaders at around 7.20 pm.

YSR Congress spokesperson B. Goverdhan and MLC Jupudi Prabhakar Rao told reporters that their party president has been  “unjustly” arrested by the CBI at Dilkusha Guest House hough he had been cooperating in questioning.

Even before the formal announcement  of arrest was made,  Jagan’s mother and honorary president of YSR Congress Ms. Vijayamma, Jagan’s wife  Bharati, sister Sharmila and brother-in-law Anil Kumar rushed to Dilkusha Guest House to call on him.

Jagan will be produced in the special CBI court on Monday where he is anyway expected to appear in response to a summons issued by the judge.

The arrest of 39-year-old Jagan came after three days of intense grilling by the CBI and comes just ahead of byelections to 18 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in the state.

“CBI arrested Jaganmohan Reddy at 7.15 PM,” CBI spokesperson said.

Agency officials said the Jagan was questioned for three consecutive days and his answers to certain investments made by a few companies to Sakshi television abd Jagriti publications, owned by him, were not convincing.

CBI officials said Jagan was arrested for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Some routing of funds have been detected from tax havens like Mauritius and Isle of Mann, indicating that there were quid pro quo investments in his TV channel and publication by some companies which were given land in the much sought after Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Park, they said.

Soon after his arrest, Jagan told party leaders who had come to meet him, that his supporters should maintain calm and not resort to any violence keeping in view the upcoming bypolls.

“I will fight this battle legally in the courts and I am confident of a positive outcome,” he said.

CBI officials said Jagan was arrested for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.