Supreme Court denies bail for Jagan

 The Supreme Court on Friday  rejected the bail petition of the YSR Congress Party president Y.S .Jagan Mohan Reddy who has been in jail for the last 135 days in the properties case.

Making it clear that Jagan can approach the apex court for bail after the investigation is over, a division bench consisting of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai directed the CBI to finish the probe by March 31, 2013.

“The probe should be completed as soon as possible despite the deadline of March 31,” the judges directed the CBI.

The apex court agreed to the request of the CBI that its officers needed more time to complete the probe in the case but directed it to submit only one charge sheet in the entire case.

“In the present circumstances, we can’t grant bail for Jagan,” ruled the court.

Jagan’s bail petition first came up for hearing on Sept 14 before the apex court but the hearing was adjourned till Sept 28. Again, hearing was adjourned for second time till Oct 5 as CBI sought more time.

When the court began the hearing today, CBI counsel told the judges that the agency wanted more time for probe into investments abroad. While Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran and senior lawyer Ashok Ban appeared for CBI, senior counsel Gopal Subrahmanyam and Viswanathan argued for Jagan.

The Supreme Court rejected the argument of Jagan counsel that bail can’t be denied on the pretext that he would influence the witnesses if released on bail.

CBI joint director VV Lakshmi Narayana also attended the court hearing.

(Updated on Oct 5, 2012)