CBI drags its feet while Jagan awaits bail

HYDERABAD: The CBI's final chargesheet in illegal assets case remains elusive and Kadapa MP and YSRC president Jagan Mohan Reddy may have to wait to be able to walk free.

The fact that the CBI is not going to file the final and comprehensive chargesheet anytime now means that Jagan will have no choice but to spend more time in prison. 'A couple of more chargesheets would be filed in the coming days,' a CBI source said.

During the hearing of a bail petition filed by Jagan Mohan Reddy before the Supreme Court earlier, CBI ASG Mohan Parasar informed the court that the CBI is making investigation without wasting any time and said it would be completed as early as possible. On completion of investigation, the CBI will file one final chargesheet, he said.

The CBI wants to investigate seven aspects related to the case and the total money involved exceeds `3,000 crore.

It is only after the final chargesheet is filed that Jagan Mohan Reddy's bail can be considered as releasing the MP would hamper investigation, the investigation agency pleaded with the court and the bail petition was dismissed.

Even during various arguments at the special court for CBI cases, the CBI kept on informing the court that it would file a final chargesheet as early as possible.

'Investigation into the role of three cement companies is almost over and the chargesheet would be finalised very soon. But the probe into other aspects will take time,' a CBI officer said.

With respect to other aspects, the CBI has not yet decided whether to file a single chargesheet or separate ones. 'One of the chargesheets would be related to the three cement companies--Penna Cements, Dalmia Cements and India Cements,' the officer said and added that another chargesheet would deal with Sandur Power Company and grant of mining lease to Bharti Cements and Raghuram Cements, owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

It is also likely that investments through suitcase companies based in Kolkata and Mumbai would also be included in the chargesheet dealing with Sandur Power.

Another aspect which the CBI is investigating is Indu Projects/Lepakshi Knowledge Hub, which is likely to be included in any one of the two chargesheets.

'It is also likely that the charges in this might become a supplementary chargesheet to the Vanpic case as industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad (an accused in Vanpic case) also has a role in Indu projects,' sources said.

Till the time the CBI completes its investigation into these aspects, Jagan Mohan Reddy would have to wait as his bail petition, if filed, would be opposed by the investigation agency on the grounds that the probe is going on and that it fears hampering of investigation by the influential MP, if released on bail.