SC reserves orders on Jagan’s bail plea

New Delhi, May 7, 2013: Refusing the CBI plea to further adjourn hearing on the bail petition of YSR Congress Party chief Sri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Supreme Court on Monday reserved orders on whether or not to grant bail to him.

As soon as the apex court took up the issue, CBI counsel Ashok Bhan urged the bench of Justices P.Sathasivam and Iqbal to adjourn the hearing on the bail plea of Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy till Friday. Justice Sathasaivam rejected the request saying the bench had already heard the arguments on two other petitions related to it and would deliver a concurrent judgment if the arguments were also completed on the bail plea of the YSRC chief.

The senior trio Harish Salve, Mukul Rohatgi and Vishwanath, arguing for Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy, told the court CBI has been coming out with different arguments in the AP High Court and the Supreme Court to suit its whims and fancies and delay bail to their client.

“It once said Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy’s custody was necessary with regard to all seven issues on which the investigation has been going on and contradicting its own stand, it said again his custody was not required. In such a case, why is it opposing the bail plea of my client?” Jagan Mohan Reddy’s counsel asked the court.

Requesting the Court to grant bail to Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy, Harish Salve assured that he would meet all conditions even if a conditional bail was granted to him.

“The CBI has so far filed five charge sheets in the case but has not yet arrested two sitting ministers including the Home Minister and some IAS officers. A central minister announced that my client would come out of the jail if he joined the Congress. These things make clear how the CBI has been conducting the probe. The CBI has also informed the High Court that the probe on India Cements, Penna Cements and Suitcase companies had been completed while the investigation into the Sundur Power and Bharati Cements was still going on,” Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy’s counsel told the apex court.

However, the CBI has told the Supreme Court that the investigation in all the seven issues has still been going on, Salve told the apex court, adding that this instance is enough to say that the CBI has been misleading the court.

To a question from the bench, CBI counsel Ashok Bhan told the court that the agency needed 4 to 6 months further to complete the probe.