Hyderabad: In a move that is expected to further cripple YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has written to the Andhra Pradesh government, seeking permission to attach his properties.
The move comes just a week after the CBI moved to freeze the accounts of three large parts of Jagan's considerable empire - Jagathi Publications, Indira TV and Janani Infrastructure - pending an inquiry by it. The CBI believes that Jagan, one of India's richest politicians with declared assets worth 365 crores, benefited from his father's position as chief minister. YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who died while in office in 2009, allegedly asked companies to invest in Jagan's firms and in return, they were granted licences or other clearances.
The latest action by the probe agency, hence, is a double whammy of sorts as none of Jagan's properties can now be purchased or sold. He will also be unable to make any new investments.
The state government, meanwhile, will now take a decision on the CBI's request to seize his properties. Once it gives the go-ahead, the CBI will then seek permission from the court to attach his properties.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has, in the meanwhile, suspended a government order (GO) that stopped advertisements to Sakshi TV and channel - owned by Jagan through Indira TV and Jagathi Publications respectively. The growing popularity and clout of Jagan, in the last one year, has been attributed, in a large measure, to both media houses. The YSR Congress chief, who is currently touring his home constituency of Kadapa, had earlier alleged that the CBI's move to freeze his accounts was an effort to politically stifle him ahead of the by-elections in the state.
"Does the CBI intend to close Sakshi? Why should they freeze accounts?" the 39-year-old MP from Kadapa had asked while speaking to NDTV. The YSR Congress chief had also slammed the ruling Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, who he alleged had aligned against him. His supporters too have said that that CBI's actions, smack of a political conspiracy.
Interestingly, the investigating agency's latest move comes a couple of days after it arrested Jagan's business associate and industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case.
The developments, hence, would appear to many as tightening the financial screws on Jagan and could have significant political ramifications as Andhra Pradesh gears up for by-elections to 18 assembly and one Lok Sabha seat in June. Analysts say that Jagan's party, the YSR Congress, appears to have a definite edge that has made, both the ruling Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, nervous.
The CBI has, so far, filed three chargesheets in the disproportionate assets case against Jagan. The first had named him as accused number one, alongwith 12 others, including companies owned by him. The subsequent chargesheets also named companies that are said to have benefitted when YSR was chief minister and had allegedly invested in Jagan's companies as a quid pro quo.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court had, in August last year, directed the CBI to register a case against Jagan and thoroughly inquire into his alleged financial misdeeds. The investigating agency had named booked 73 individuals and companies in the FIR against Jagan.
The Supreme Court has, in the meanwhile, sought a report on 26 government orders (GOs) issued that are said to have benefitted Jagan and these companies. The top court has asked six ministers, all from the Congress, and eight bureaucrats from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) during the YSR regime in 2009, to explain their role in the issuance of the GOs.
