Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy is likely to fly to Hyderabad on Friday (today) to appear before the CBI Special Court where he is facing a batch of quid pro quo cases registered by CBI.
The special court judge B.R. Madhusudan Rao, according to police sources, would be out of station. Another judge in-charge of the special court is likely to give fresh dates of hearing for the cases listed on Friday.
Central zone police of Hyderabad are making elaborate security arrangements at the special court located in a multi-storied complex on Nampally-MJ Market main road for the AP Chief Minister’s court appearance. Mr. Reddy appeared in the special court for the first time in his capacity as Chief Minister on this January 9. If the in-charge judge confines to call work, Mr. Reddy is unlikely to stay for long in the court like his previous appearance.
Mr. Jagan had already knocked the doors of Telangana High Court by filing 10 writ petitions relating to charge-sheets filed by the CBI in quid pro quo cases seeking exemption from appearing before the special court. When these petitions came up for hearing on this January 28, Justice G. Sridevi of the HC directed the CBI to file counter affidavit and posted the batch of petitions to Thursday (January 6).
The petitions were supposed to be heard on Thursday but were adjourned for a week by the judge as the CBI counsel sought time to file counter affidavit. Mr. Reddy’s counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, while presenting his arguments before the HC on January 28, informed the judge that the CBI special court insisted for the appearance of Mr. Reddy on January 31.
The judge suggested to the counsel that the special court can be informed that HC was already hearing the petitions and thus seek exemption from appearance. Mr. Reddy’s counsel filed a petition of dispense with presence on January 31 and the cases were posted for hearing on Friday.