Hyderabad, August 28: At least four cabinet ministers and 15 IAS officials are likely to fall in the net of Central Bureau of Investigation, in the case relating to disproportionate assets of Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy.
According to sources, the CBI is likely to issue notices to four ministers and 15 IAS officers, who were directly or indirectly involved in the alleged irregular allotments of lands and other unlawful sanctions to Jagan Mohan Reddy. The CBI has prepared a list of allotments made by the state government along with the list of beneficiaries, especially Jagan and his business partners, during the YS Rajesekhara Reddy’s tenure as the Chief Minister since 2004.
Sources say that IAS officials too would be made accountable as it was done in the case of senior official BP Acharya, who is presently the Principal Secretary of Home Department. Acharya came under CBI scanner in the Emaar properties case for allegedly resorting to irregularities when he was the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). He has been quizzed twice by the CBI for his role in the irregular allotments and the consequent loss suffered by the APIIC.
The investigations revealed that the APIIC was allotted a very low equity while the Dubai-based Emaar Properties received a lion’s share.
This apart the CBI also raided the offices and residences of Jaganmohan Reddy and his business associates – Emaar Properties, Matrix, Aurobindo Pharma, Jagathi Publications among others, across the country. The Bharati Cements’ representatives were being summoned for questioning by the CBI.
Among the ministers who are likely to face the CBI’s probe include the then Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao (presently R&B Minister), then Mines Minister P Sabitha Reddy (presently Home Minister) and then Infrastructure Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana (presently Excise Minister). Those IAS Babus who were attached to the ministries of the said ministers are also in the CBI’s hit list, which is being prepared secretly.
Since the CBI’s investigation is being held directly under the instructions of AP High Court, the concerned IAS officials feel that they would have no escape and instead of defending their political bosses, they would prefer saving their career and reputation by revealing the truth before the CBI.
——Agencies