In a big blow to two former ministers, Sabitha Indra Reddy and Dharmana Prasada Rao, who lost their Cabinet berths after being charge-sheeted in the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy assets case, the CBI on Friday sought the court’s nod for their arrest.
In two memos filed in the CBI special court, the agency contended that the duo could influence witnesses if not sent to judicial custody. To buttress its argument, the CBI, through its counsel B Ravindranath, submitted video clippings of press conferences addressed by the two former ministers in which they had claimed innocence and expressed confidence that they would be absolved of all charges.
While Dharmana Prasada Rao, revenue minister in the erstwhile Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government, was named as an accused in the CBI charge-sheet pertaining to the Vanpic land allotment, Sabitha, mines minister in the same dispensation, was listed as an accused for her role in the allocation of mining leases to certain cement companies.
Sabitha was composed and calm during her hour-long stay in the court but left as soon as the hearing was over, but not before exchanging pleasantries with Jagan Mohan Reddy. Emotional scenes unfolded in the court hall when Jagan met his family members. His mother Vijayalakshmi burst into tears at his sight and embraced him.
His supporters and those of Sabitha jostled to catch a glimpse of the two and gatecrashed into the court hall, leading to utter chaos. This, despite tight security on the premises.
Principal Special Judge U Durga Prasad Rao, annoyed with the unruly scenes, warned lawyers of the accused that they may lose the sympathy of the court if they continued to make a scene. Thereafter, with some difficulty, they ensured that supporters of the two leaders retreated out of the hall.
