In a startling turn of events, Rebel YSR Congress Party MP K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raghu has approached the Supreme Court, seeking the transfer of quid pro quo cases pending against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The cases, listed in criminal complaint number 8 of 2012, are currently before the Special Judge for CBI Cases in Hyderabad. Raghu’s petition, filed on Wednesday, alleges manipulation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and raises serious concerns about the fairness of the trial process.
MP Raghu Ramakrishna Raju won election with a YSRCP ticket but has been working closely with TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu since 2019. He has been troubling the YSRCP on multiple occasions and featuring regularly on TDP dais. Just after a day of the interim bail for Chandrababu Naidu, MP Raghu has started a petition in Supreme Court against YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Allegations of Wealth Amassment and Manipulation
According to the transfer petition, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is accused of amassing an astronomical wealth of ₹40,000 crore through dubious means during his father’s tenure as Chief Minister, utilizing questionable companies often referred to as suitcase or shell companies. The petition suggests that these companies were used as a conduit to funnel ill-gotten gains.
The modus operandi, as alleged by Raghu, involved a web of corruption wherein public resources were exploited to benefit individuals of the duo’s choosing. This exploitation included the indiscriminate allocation of properties, SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and projects, granting mining and port licenses, all at the expense of taxpayers’ money. These allegations paint a disturbing picture of corruption.
Manipulation of Criminal Trials
Raghu’s petition further contends that Jagan Mohan Reddy took deliberate steps to ensure that the criminal trials against him and other co-accused remained stagnant, devoid of any meaningful progress. The MP raised concerns over the manner in which the CBI, the investigative agency entrusted with these cases, was allegedly manipulated to serve the Chief Minister’s interests. This manipulation has, according to Raghu, eroded public confidence in the fairness and integrity of the trial process.
Request for Transfer of Trial
Citing these serious allegations and the apparent erosion of public confidence, Raghu invoked Section 406 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which allows for the transfer of cases when it is deemed essential for ensuring a fair trial. In his plea, the MP urged the Supreme Court to transfer the quid pro quo cases from the Special Judge for CBI Cases in Hyderabad to a court of equal and competent jurisdiction in a different state. The petition seeks to ensure an unbiased, transparent, and fair legal process.
Political Implications of the Petition
The filing of this transfer petition by MP Raghu, is nothing surprising for YSRCP as he have previously raised the same type of petitions in courts against the YSRCP Chief and also the Andhra Pradesh Government. Though the MP has not officially resigned from YSRCP, the YSRCP has taken disciplinary action against the MP in the past. The Rebel MP has been issued show-cause notice back in 2020 and a disgruntled disqualification process from the party followed. The MP was also arrested later on sedition charges, in which he was released after Supreme Court’s intervention. The Rebel MP has been in news for his witty press conferences with TV5 (a TDP affiliated channel).
The current petition from the MP in Supreme court will have significant repercussions as the legal battle of YSRCP chief is still active. On the other hand, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu is out on an interim bail on health conditions and his legal troubles are also getting started. As both the legal battles proceed, the political noise from both sides will be very interesting to watch
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