Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Nov 4 (IANS) YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Friday urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to question former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in the illegal mining case involving former Karnataka minister and jailed mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy.

Talking to reporters after appearing before CBI in the case, Jagan blamed Naidu for the scam and said the investigating agency quizzed him only as a witness in the case.

Jagan, who was questioned by the CBI officials for nearly two and half hours at the CBI office, claimed that Naidu as the chief minister in 2002 had transferred the mining lease over 64 acres in Anantapur district to Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), which is owned by Janardhana Reddy.

Jagan said it was in 1996 that Naidu had given a mining lease to Rammohan Reddy, and in 2002, it was transferred to OMC.

“I have given copy of this GO (government order) to CBI and I urged them to question Naidu on the basis of this,” said Jagan while waving a copy of the 2002 order.

“There can’t be any clear proof than this of Naidu helping OMC,” said the MP from Kadapa in a clear counter-attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief.

Naidu has been targeting Jagan and his father, the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, for their close links with the former Karnataka minister.

Jagan, who has already denied any links with Janardhana Reddy, said the CBI took his “opinion” as a witness in the case. “The CBI took the opinion of (state Home Minister) Sabita Indra Reddy and similarly they took my opinion as a witness,” he said.

The young businessman turned politician said even after one and half years of investigations by the CBI, he remained only a witness in the case.

Jagan criticised a section of media for trying to project him as an accused in the case.

“If you have any journalistic values, expose Naidu for transferring the mining lease to OMC,” he said.

The CBI recorded the statement of Jagan, who himself is facing a CBI probe for allegedly owning illegal assets.

Earlier, the MP reached the CBI office at Koti amid tight security around 11 a.m. There was chaos as Jagan’s supporters also reached there, raised anti-government slogans and had heated arguments with policemen.

Police baton-charged some Jagan supporters who uprooted a board of the CBI and climbed on top of nearby buildings and hoardings.

A large police posse was deployed around the CBI office located in a busy commercial area. Police diverted traffic and also closed shops around the building.

CBI Joint Director V.V. Lakshminarayana told reporters Thursday night that Jagan was summoned under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, under which an investigating officer can summon a person who appears to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case.

During investigations, some witnesses alleged before the CBI that Jagan, the MP from Kadapa, had close business links with Janardhana Reddy.

There are allegations that Janardhana Reddy made investments into Jagan’s firms, including Jagathi Publications, which publishes Telugu daily “Sakshi”, and Indira Television, which runs “Sakshi” television channel.

Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law B.V. Srinivasa Reddy are currently in jail here in the illegal mining case.

This is the first time that Jagan was questioned by the CBI since the arrest of the duo Sep 5.

The CBI had registered a case against OMC in 2009 for illegal mining of iron ore in Anantapur district, bordering Karnataka. The mining baron is also facing CBI probe for illegal mining in Karnataka.