Vijay Sai well prepared for the worst

Hyderabad: As if he had an inkling of things to happen, Vijay Sai Reddy has been learning Yoga to enable him to keep his mind in control and himself calm and adjust well in case he ends up in jail.

He is believed to have got a 'blueprint' of the cell in the Chanchalguda central prison, the facilities provided in a normal room and in a A class room and is said to have jotted down minute details including the names of lower-rung officials of the prisons department.

A confidant of YSR family for more than two decades, Vijay Sai Reddy, was 'mentally prepared' much before his arrest which took place at last on Monday.

Sources in Jagan's camp told that Vijay Sai Reddy had hired a Yoga teacher especially to learn the techniques of keeping the mind in control and to adjust to any circumstances, particularly to a life in prison.

'He was big time into yoga and told us he thought yoga is the only way out and he has perfected the art,' sources said.

Despite all the 'pressure' from the CBI to turn him an approver, Reddy bluntly told them that he was ready to face arrest. In fact, over his several dozen visits to the CBI office, Reddy had become familiar with the functioning of the CBI and the lower- rung staff there.

'Besides learning Yoga, he was reading a lot on various laws and purchased several books on legal matters. He would interact with several top legal minds of the country for hours together trying to understand the nitty-gritty of every aspect of law. He used to fly to Delhi frequently where he met several legal experts,' the sources said.

Hailing from Nellore district and being a relative of a senior IPS officer, Vijay Sai Reddy is a trusted lieutenant of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy and his son Jagan as well, and has been managing all the affairs of Jagati Publications Private Limited.

Recently, he made enquiries about the lock-up in CCS where he knew he would be lodged, just like others who were arrested, and was finding out newer ways to adjust to the dingy cell which is full of bandicoots.

'He made a thorough enquiry of what life is like inside the Chanchalguda jail, facilities in a normal cell and in the A-class cell. He even learnt that in the normal cell, prisoners can have access to a TV which only has one channel -- Doordarshan !

He found that in an A-Class cell, one has access to all TV channels,' sources said and added that he 'found out' ways to get the food of his choice. A couple of months ago Reddy had requested the government to provide him security cover as he faced threat to his life from Jagan's opponents.

Following his request, the state police provided him 2+2 personal security officers round the clock. The security stands withdrawn with his arrest.