The CBI has been given permission to prosecute Indian Railway Accounts Service officer KV Brahmananda Reddy, an accused in Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s alleged illegal assets case. The CBI conveyed the same to the court on Friday.
There are other officers shown as accused in the Jagan illegal assets case but Brahmananda Reddy is the first one against whom sanction has been given to prosecute.
Brahmananda Reddy is currently lodged in the Central Prison, Chanchalguda. The investigation agency needs sanction from competent authority to prosecute public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
In the case of all India service officers, the President is the competent authority.
SK Agarwal, director, Establishment (O)-I of Railway Board, conveyed to the CBI the sanction of the President of India to prosecute Brahmananda Reddy in a fourpage order dated Dec 5.
“The President, being the Competent Authority to remove Brahmananda Reddy from railway service, after considering the documents like copy of FIR, statements of witnesses and all other material/aspects relevant to the case in regard to the said allegations has come to the conclusion that Brahmananda Reddy should be prosecuted on a Court of law,” the order said.
Filing a memo on Friday before the special court for CBI cases about the order to prosecute the IRAS officer, the investigating agency asked the court to add the sanction order to the documents list and also add Agarwal as additional witness.
Came to AP on Deputation During YSR Govt Brahmananda Reddy, Accused No 6 in the Vanpic deal case, was brought to the state on deputation by the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s government and posted as special secretary, Infrastructure and Investments department between Nov 2007-May 2009. He was arrested by the CBI on May 15.
The court took cognisance of offences against Brahmananda Reddy under sections 120-b, 420 and 409 of IPC but not under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act in the absence of sanction from competent authority.
The CBI, in its chargesheet, said that Brahmananda Reddy processed the files of Vanpic project and abused his official position and withheld many aspects from the cabinet while preparing the Cabinet Memorandum with respect to the Vanpic deal.