Hyderabad, November 15: The CBI special court here remanded the former vicechairman of the AP Mineral Development Corporation VD Rajagopal to CBI custody till November 21.
Rajagopal was arrested on Saturday night by the CBI in the illegal mining case and was produced before the special court on Monday. The court directed the CBI to question him from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. daily in the presence of his lawyers. The CBI also produced him before another magistrate on Sunday.
The counsel for CBI sought 15 days custody of Rajagopal for questioning. However, the court gave sevenday custody to the CBI for further interrogation At around 10.30 a. m, the CBI officials produced Rajagopal before the magistrate. With Rajagopal’s counsel K Ravinder Reddy seeking time to file a counter petition, the magistrate posted it for further hearing to 12.30 p.m.
As soon as the hearing resumed, CBI deputy legal advisor B Ravindranath filed a petition seeking the custody of the accused for interrogation.
“Rajagopal knew Gali Janardhan Reddy and B V Srinivas Reddy, who have already been arrested and lodged in Chanchalguda prison in the illegal mining case. He is also aware of the illegal activities that took place in the OMC,” Ravindranath said.
While Rajagopal’s counsel K Ravinder Reddy filed a counter petition saying that Rajagopal’s arrest was illegal and that the investigation agency had humiliated and harassed Rajagopal. “Rajagopal has already been questioned by the CBI earlier. The vicechairman and managing director of the APMDC does not have any powers to grant mining leases. We don’t know why the CBI is asking for custodial interrogation of the accused even when though they don’t have lockups to keep the accused on their premises? Rajgopal’s counsel argued.
The CBI counsel requested the magistrate for 15 days custody of the accused for interrogation.
After hearing both the arguments, the magistrate granted 7 days custody till November 21.
–Agencies