HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) opposed grant of exemption to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy from personal appearance before the Special CBI Court in the alleged disproportionate assets case and to allow his advocate to appear on his behalf during the case hearing on every Friday. ‘Status’ is irrelevant when the accused is involved in serious and grave offences. In the present case, Jagan is accused of serious financial frauds and that itself is not a ground to exempt him permanently from his appearance before the CBI court, it noted.
Pursuant to earlier direction of the court, CBI special public prosecutor K Surender filed counter affidavit on Wednesday before Justice G Sri Devi dealing with the 11 petitions filed by Jagan Mohan Reddy seeking to quash the order of the Special CBI court and to dispense with his personal appearance before the trial court and to allow his advocate to appear on his behalf during hearing of criminal proceedings initiated against him. The petitioner who is arrayed as accused number one in the 11 charge sheets filed against him in the case, challenged the order of the Special CBI court in dismissing his plea to grant exemption from personal appearance in the alleged disproportionate assets case and to allow his advocate to appear on his behalf during the case hearing on every Friday.
When the judge decided to post the matter to a later date for final hearing, senior counsel S Niranjan Reddy, appearing for Jagan, urged the court to pass specific orders regarding petitioner’s appearance before the trial court which will hear the assets case on every Friday.
Justice Sri Devi then suggested the senior counsel to inform the CBI Court, during the case hearing on Friday, about the present case which is posted for final hearing. Further, the judge also suggested the CBI counsel to inform the same to the trial court. The judge posted the matter to April 9 for final hearing.
The CBI, in its counter affidavit, referred to the conditional bail granted to the prime accused and which included that he should appear before the trial court on the dates fixed for case hearing without fail and that he may remain absent only in unavoidable circumstances and with permission of the court. Change of status of the petitioner alone cannot be sole ground for granting exemption.
Economic offences having huge magnitude wherein it is alleged that vast resources of state government were made to subservient the interests of a few individuals and illegal enrichment of the petitioner. The personal difficulties or personal interests, if any, must yield to the larger public interest. Even the lawmakers are subject to the law as long as the rule of law endures, it added and urged for dismissal of above petitions.