A special CBI court today rejected YSR Congress president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's application seeking temporary exemption from appearance during the hearing of a corruption case against him.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, the prime accused in the case, had applied for exemption from appearance for six months, saying that he was going to undertake a 'pad-yatra' (foot march) from November 2 to highlight, what he called, the "failures" of the TDP-led government in Andhra Pradesh.
The 44-year-old opposition leader had announced recently that he will start the march from his family estate at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.
Reddy said in his plea before the court here said that he needed to undertake the march to discharge his duty as the president of a political party and a public representative and to understand people's problmes.
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had opposed his plea.
The case against Reddy is related to investments made by various companies in his firms allegedly as a quid quo pro for various government favours (such as licences or approvals) obtained by them when his late father, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was chief minister between 2004 and 2009.
Several former ministers and bureaucrats are also named as accused in the case.
Jagan Reddy, a member of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, was released on bail in September 2013 after being in prison for 15 months following his arrest in the case in May 2012.
While granting bail, the special CBI court had ordered him not to directly or indirectly influence the witnesses, and be present during the proceedings of the case.
The CBI has filed 11 charge sheets besides a supplementary charge sheet in the case. The trial is on before the CBI court here.
The march, during which Reddy planned to cover a distance of about 3,000 km in six months, was intended as a mass contact programme.
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