Jagan bail : SC notice to CBI

• Asked to explain why Jagan should not be granted bail
• Case posted to May 6

Venkat Parsa New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to CBI and asked the premier investigating agency to explain why YSRCP supremo Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who has been in jail for close to one year, should not be granted bail.A The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice M Y Iqbal asked the CBI to file its response and the case has been adjourned to May 6.

The Apex Court Bench wanted to know for how long Jaganmohan Reddy has been in jail. Senior counsel Harish Salve, who appeared for Jaganmohan Reddy, said he had been in jail for 11 months.A Harish Salve quoted a recent newspaper report that said Union Minister of State for Railways Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy as saying that Jaganmohan Reddy will remain in jail till CBI completes probe, but may be spared if he rejoins the Congress.

The Bench wanted the CBI to explain that statement, which suggests that the investigation against Jaganmohan Reddy is being influenced by the government, a charge that Jaganmohan Reddy has often made. A Harish Salve said the recent move of the CBI to file another chargesheet was violative of the Supreme Court direction that a consolidated chargesheet should be filed, after which Jaganmohan Reddy becomes eligible to apply for bail. By not filing the final chargesheet, his client was being denied the opportunity to apply for bail. Normally, after 180 days in detention, a person can move the court for bail.

Jaganmohan Reddy had claimed that the CBI investigation against him was punishment for his decision to quit the Congress in 2011 to launch his own political party, the YSR Congress.