YS Jagan had no role in Vanpic case: CBI to HC

Sep 27, 2012, 18:28 IST

Justice Samudrala Govindarajulu of AP High Court posed some pertinent questions to the CBI lawyer, Kesava Rao during the course of industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad's petition for bail on Wednesday. All along the CBI had been maintaining that Jagan was involved in allocation of lands in the Vanpic case.

However, when questioned by the judge the CBI counsel came out with the facts of the case. The CBI lawyer clarified that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was in no way connected to the Vanpic case.
Significantly, the judge expressed his displeasure over the with CBI arguments and instructed the premier investigation agency to present arguments which are judicially sound. Further, the Court instructed the CBI not to present arguments to please its superior officers.

After having levelled allegations all along that YSRC Party president and Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was involved in allocation of lands in the Vanpic project and influencing industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad to invest in Jagati Publications and Bharathi cements, the CBI was compelled to come out with the truth.
The CBI admitted before the High Court on Wednesday that Jagan Mohan Reddy had no role to play in the allocation of lands to the vanpic corridor, granting concessions and related matters.
However, this disclosure was not made voluntarily by the CBI. It was forced to do so when the CBI counsel had to place details with regard to the Vanpic agreement. At this point, the CBI lawyer elaborated on the facts with regard to Jagan's role and Nimmagadda Prasad's investments in Jagati Publications.
The CBI was compelled to admit the truth of Jagan's non-involvement following the High Court intervention. The court questioned the CBI sharply about the involvement of Jagan in the said case.
It's worth recalling that Nimmagadda Prasad had filed a bail petition in the High Court after the CBI court had rejected his bail plea in the case against him for investing in Jagan's companies.
The petition came up before justice Samudrala Govindarajulu who had heard it before.
CBI counsel Kesava Rao continued his arguments after last week's inconclusive hearing was adjourned.
Once again, the judge expressed his displeasure over the arguments presented by the CBI counsel.
The judge said: "Do you want to present arguments as it pleases you or as the court wishes to hear them? The court will not entertain the reading of irrelevant documents." "Please speak only on documents related to the bail petition," the judge said in no uncertain terms.
The CBI counsel, however, replied that he would only read out one or two paragraphs related to the bail petition and that he would not waste the court's time. He then referred to the Government to Government agreement reached between RAK and the AP government on the vanpic project.
The CBI counsel told the court that the project was alloted 4,000 acres under the Boot (build, own, operate and transfer) scheme.
He also argued that there was no clarity on any cabinet decision in this respect (allocation of 4,000 acres of land).
The judge cut him off by repeating that he wanted to hear only points relevant to the bail petition and nothing else. The judge further added that he only wanted to know the role of the petitioner in the case.
Kesava Rao stated that Nimmagadda Prasad's massive investments in Jagan's companies were quid pro quo in nature.
He also alleged that Nimmagadda Prasad stood to gain from the concessional agreement in the Vanpic project and thus invested in Jagan's companies. He added that the details of the investments were mentioned in the chargesheet.
The judge bluntly retorted to this by saying, "Do not argue here as you do in the lower court and save these arguments for the lower court. Just state as to who else has a role in the quid pro quo agreement. Is Jagan, the accused No.1 in the vanpic case in any way connected to this. If yes, please spell out clearly in what way?" This question rattled not only the CBI counsel Kesava Rao, but also all the other officials present in the courtroom.
After the judge raised this crucial question, the CBI had no option but to reveal the truth. The CBI counsel stated that Jagan is in no way involved in the Vanpic corridor case. However, Kesava Rao parroted the same arghument that Nimmaggada Prasad invested in Jagati Publications and Bharathi Cements to which the judge responded by saying, "I have my own doubts. I cannot conclude based on what's stated in the chargesheet or your arguments. I have my own ways of arriving at the truth. Only after thorough research will I reach a conclusive decision."
"Please give a straightforward reply to each query of mine. Present your arguments in a way that satisfies the court. Just because someone's convinced with your arguments means nothing to me — I am helpless," the judge reprimanded Kesava Rao.