Following Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s objection to the Enforcement Directorate to record his statement, the agency told a CBI court here on Monday it wanted to record the statement of the MP only as a suspect and not as an accused in his wealth case.
During hearing of its petition, the ED told the court that it wanted to record Jagan’s statement as the then chairman and director of Jagathi Publications Private Limited. Jagathi Publications is listed as accused no 12 in the first charge sheet filed by the CBI.
His counsel countered the statement and said Jagan was currently neither a director nor chairman of Jagathi Publications, and the ED’s petition was not maintainable as he resigned as director and consequential chairmanship on February 1, 2011. Further, Jagathi Publications was being represented by CPN Karthik with court permission, he said.
“The petition filed by the ED is without any evidence supporting their contention. There is no prima facie made out against accused no 12. Though a chargesheet has been filed, there is no available against the accused. In the absence of any material evidence, the ED can not contend that a case is made out against the accused,’’ the defence counsel said, adding that the respondent, being lodged in prison, would not be in a position to accurately or adequately answer the questions. The ED informed the court that a schedule offence had been committed and there was a need to ascertain facts in the case in which an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) had also been registered.
“The agency has powers to summon anyone. We have issued summons under Section 50(2) of PMLA and with directions of CBI court we have served the summons to Jagan Mohan Reddy in Chanchalguda prison. This petition is not a custody petition. We have not termed him an accused. There is a need for facts to be revealed as there is a conspiracy involved,” said ED’s counsel.