Amaravati\Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will appear Friday in the special court of CBI in Hyderabad to face the ongoing trial in the quid pro quo investments cases against him.
The special court judge January 3 directed Jagan to appear in person for the trial, rejecting the latter’s plea for an exemption. Jagan will reach the trial court at Nampally in Hyderabad at 10.30am and be there till 2.00 pm, as per the schedule prepared by his office.
This will be Jagan’s first appearance in court for the trial after he assumed charge as Chief Minister, May 30, 2019.
Even prior to that, he did not appear in person for the trial for several months, as he was busy campaigning for the general elections.
The YSR Congress president has been facing trial wherein he was chargesheeted in at least 11 cases as the prime accused in alleged quid pro quo deals.
The cases relate to investments made by various companies in Jagan’s firms as quid pro quo for various favours bestowed on them during the tenure of his father late YS Rajasekhara Reddy as Chief Minister between 2004 and 2009.
Jagan is currently out on bail, having spent time in jail as an ‘un-convicted criminal prisoner’ in the Chanchalguda Central Prison May 2012 to September 2013.
Soon after becoming Chief Minister, Jagan filed a petition in the special court of CBI seeking exemption from personal appearance as he would be busy with official duties. Also, lakhs of rupees of public money has to be spent for his security and other protocol requirements in view of his position, Jagan contended.
Te court, however, rejected his plea November 1 and directed that he appear for trial every Friday.
Though he did not file an appeal in the High Court against the court’s order, Jagan had not been attending the trial proceedings citing his official engagements as the reason for his absence.
Not impressed by this, the special court judge had on January 3 directed that Jagan attend the proceedings on January 10.
PTI