Jagan Case: 15 Babus Under Scanner

At least 4 Cabinet ministers and 15 IAS officers are likely to fall under the Central Bureau Of Investigation's scanner for the case relating to the disproportionate assets of Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.

According to sources, the CBI is likely to issue notices to the 4 ministers and the 15 IAS officers, who were directly or indirectly involved in the alleged case and other unlawful sanctions to Jagan.

The CBI has prepared a list of allotments made by the state government during the Y S Rajesekhara Reddy's tenure as the Chief Minister since 2004, and a list of beneficiaries, including Jagan and his business partners.

Sources say that the IAS officials will be made accountable, as is being done with B P Acharya, who is currently the Principal Secretary of the Home Department.

Acharya came under the CBI scanner in the Emaar properties case for allegedly resorting to irregularities during his tenure as the Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

Acharya has been questioned twice for his role in the case, and on the consequent loss suffered by the APIIC. The investigations have revealed that APIIC was allotted low equity, whereas the Dubai-based Emaar Properties received the lion's share.

The CBI also raided Jagan's offices and residences, and his business associates - Emaar Properties, Matrix, Aurobindo Pharma, Jagathi Publications and others - across the country. Representatives of Bharati Cements are being summoned for questioning by the CBI.

Ministers likely to face the CBI's probe are former Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao (currently R&B Minister), former Mines Minister P Sabitha Reddy (currently Home Minister) and former Infrastructure Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana (currently the Excise Minister).

The IAS officers who were attached to the ministries of the said ministers are also in the CBI's hit list, which is being prepared secretly.

As the CBI's investigation is being held directly under the instructions of the AP High Court, the concerned IAS officers feel that they have no escape, and that instead of defending their political bosses, they should prefer saving their career and reputation by revealing the truth to the CBI. (INN)