Trouble for Jagan Mohan Reddy: Accounts of companies frozen

May 9, 2012

jagan_mohan_reddy_frozen

Hyderabad, May 9: In a move that is expected to cripple YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has written to the State Bank of India in Hyderabd, directing it to freeze the accounts of three large parts of his considerable empire - Jagathi Publications, Indira TV and Janani Infrastructure - pending an inquiry by it. (Read: CBI's letter to the State Bank of India)

The CBI has, in its letter, said that that it is carrying out a probe on the orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in August last year, directing it to register a case against and thoroughly inquire into alleged financial misdeeds of Jagan. It believes that Mr Reddy, 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 licenses or other clearances.

The investigating agency has said those funds were parked in the bank accounts in the guise of conducting business. Hence, under section 102 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, it wants those accounts to be frozen and a prohibition of operations in all the three accounts.

The move comes barely 24 hours after summons were issued to Jagan and 12 others to appear before a Special CBI Court on May 28. The court has also asked 12 others facing charges in the case to appear before it on the same day.

Jagan's supporters allege that the move is politically motivated. They say that the leader's political opponents are unable to take on and deal with his growing political popularity and that this is a desperate attempt to try and stop him. They intend to challenge the order in court.

The move to freeze accounts happened even as Jagan was campaigning in Anantpur district, ahead of by-elections next month.

Meanwhile, Jagathi Publications that runs Sakshi newspaper and Indira Television that runs Sakshi TV have called this an attempt to stifle the media and an attack on the freedom of the press. They will complain to the Press Council of India. The employees of the three companies are worried about what will happen to them.

Political analyst K Nageswar says that while the CBI is acting within the law in freezing the accounts, notices should have been issued prior to the action and economic flexibility should have been allowed pending the probe, since there are only allegations as yet to be tried in a court of law.

The special CBI court had admitted the first chargesheet filed on March 31 by the CBI in the disproportionate assets case and listed the case for trial.

Accordingly, summons were issued to Jagan, the prime accused in the case, and the other accused.

The summons were issued on a day when the CBI, probing the case against Jagan and the others, submitted its third chargesheet in the court. The 88-page chargesheet was filed after examining 72 witnesses.

The CBI also booked 73 companies and individuals, alongwith Jagan, on the directions of the High Court. Others named in the chargesheet include Jagan's close aide Vijay Sai Reddy, Jagati Publications Private Limited (JPPL), Ayodhya Rami Reddy, IAS officer Venkatrami Reddy, and Ramkey Pharma.

The third chargesheet contains details of undue favours granted to a company called Ramky Pharma during YSR's regime. Ramky Infra has been accused of depositing a huge sum of money in the accounts of Jagati Publications owned by Jagan Reddy.

Vijay Sai Reddy was arrested by the CBI on January 2. The Vice-President of JPPL is also an auditor for many other companies of Jagan.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 24: The month of Ramzan will be observed from Friday in Kerala.
The crescent moon was seen at Kappad beach in Kozhikode on Thursday.

Amid nationwide lockdown in the wake of COVID-19, there will be no group prayers at mosques. The devotees have been directed to offer prayers at homes.

Palayam Mosque Imam, VP Suhaib said, "Usually at mosques in Thiruvananthapuram, devotees used to come to break the fast... But this year, amid lockdown, we direct people to prepare food at home and break the fast with family. Also, there will not be group prayers at mosques. People should pray at home."
"Imams and scholars have strictly directed people to observe all Ramzan-related prayers at home. There is no other option... Human life is the most important thing. Only if life exists, belief and religion can exist," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 24 announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. Later, the lockdown was extended till May 3.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: The number of coronavirus cases in India has surged past 3500 with 505 new cases in the last 24 hours from across the country.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country has gone up to 3,577 as on Sunday. So far, 83 people have died of the coronavirus.

Among States, the tally in Maharashtra stood at 690. According to Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, till now Mumbai has reported 29 positive cases, Pune 17, PCMC 4, Ahmednagar 3, Aurangabad 2 among others.

Here are the top developments of the day related to the pandemic.

1) Four new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Uttarakhand today, taking the total number of positive cases in the State to 26. Four persons have been treated and discharged till date, according to the Directorate of Health Services, Uttarakhand.

2) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called up two former Presidents -- Pranab Mukherjee and Pratibha Patil and had a discussion on COVID-19 related issues. He also called up two former Prime Ministers -- Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda -- to discuss COVID-19 situation.

3) The Prime Minister also called up leaders of various political parties like Sonia Gandhi, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik, K Chandrashekar Rao, MK Stalin, Parkash Singh Badal and Mayawati.

4) Total coronavirus positive cases rose to 68 in Punjab after three more cases were reported today --- one each in Ludhiana, SAS Nagar and Barnala. The person found positive in Ludhiana had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi.

5) No evidence of COVID-19 being airborne yet, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

7) With 14 new cases in Kashmir division, the total number of positive cases in Jammu and Kashmir now at 106. Active cases in Kashmir -- 82 and Jammu -- 18, said Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning, UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

8) "There is an insufficiency of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and N95 masks. We are in touch with the Centre and other agencies for supply. Receiving 15,000 PPE kits today. Requested Centre for 5 lakh PPE kits received 4,000 only," said Bihar's Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar.

9) The total number of positive cases in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, till now is 122 after 9 more positive cases were found today, according to Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Praveen Jadia.

10) Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visits AIIMS dedicated centre for COVID19 in Jhajjar, Haryana. He said: "All 162 patients admitted here are in stable condition."

11) 86 COVID-19 positive cases reported in Tamil Nadu today out of which 85 had attended the Tableeghi Jamaat event at Markaz Nizamuddin, Delhi, according to Beela Rajesh Tamil Nadu Health Secretary. There are 571 COVID positive cases in Tamil Nadu out of which 522 cases are from the people who had attended the religious function in Delhi, she said.

12) The Congress party on Sunday posed nine questions to the Centre, demanding compensation to the family of those, who died after battling with the coronavirus.

13) 47 new coronavirus positive cases reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 253.

14) 8 new COVID-19 cases reported in Kerala, which include 6 imports and 2 contact cases, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

15) "PPE kits are imported. So there was a shortage initially in the country but the government started taking action in this regard from January. Domestic manufacturers have started production. We have also started procuring PPE kits from other countries," said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secy, Health Ministry. 

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News Network
March 3,2020

Wayanad, Mar 3: Anguished over the alleged delay in receiving flood relief from the Kerala government, a 42-year-old man committed suicide in Wayanad district, police said on Tuesday. Sanal Kumar, a native of Thrikaipatta in Meppadi near here was found hanging inside the temporary shelter built by his friends and local people on Monday. He was among the hundreds who had lost their homes in the August 2019 floods.

His home, built on a three cent plot, had been damaged partially in 2018 floods and completely in the 2019 deluge. Family members of the deceased alleged that it was due undue delay on the part of the authorities in allotting funds for rebuilding his house that drove Kumar to take the extreme step. Kumar was hoping to get a house under the Life Mission project, sources said.

A relative said Kumar had only 3 cent of land and had lot of debts. Even the Rs 10,000 assistance promised by the state government for the flood affected, had not reached him. Since the past two years he had filed several applications for assistance and apporached many revenue authroties for the promised government assistance, but it never came, the locals alleged.

According to K K Sahad, president of Meppadi Panchayat the deceased had some other financial issues and it was not the delay in rehabilitation that made him commit suicide. "It is true that he was not included in the first list of beneficiaries under the LIFE project as he had to have "pattayam" (land records) for his land.

However, he was included in the second list, thanks to the dilution in the norms that possession was enough for those who had no 'pattayam' for their property. The amount of Rs 4 lakhs was sanctioned for him, but was delayed a bit due to some technical issues."

Wayanad MLA C K Saseendran described it as an "extremely sad" development. As Kumar had some difficulties in producing the land recrods, the authroties had been unable to include his name in the LIFE housing scheme in the first phase.

The matter has been brought before the notice of the revenue authorities, he said. Vythiri Tahsildar, Abdul Hameed, visited Kumar's relatives this morning as the family members of the deceased wanted his presence before the body was taken for post-mortem.

"There was some technical issues with regard to the land as it falls within the adhivasi reserve. But they were occupying it for long. However, the issue has been sorted out and that his family members would be getting the eligibility amount of four lakhs," Hameed said.

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