The Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday launched a full-fledged enquiry into the alleged illegal assets case of Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A day after
registering its FIR, the CBI started searches at various places, including the residence and offices of the YSR Congress Party president, to collect physical evidence.
Besides Jagan's case, the CBI also began a probe into the Emaar scam.
The residence of AP Principal Secretary (Home) B P Acharya at Mahindra Hills has been raided. Acharya was the Managing Director of APIIC when the YSR government allotted land to Dubai-based Emaar Properties.
The CBI has also raided the houses of businessman Nimmagadda Prasad for his connection with investments into Jagan's companies.
Armed with search warrants procured from the CBI Special Court, the CBI team carried out searches at over 90 locations in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Viskahpatnam and other places.
Raids were also conducted in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.
The offices of Bharati Cements and Sakshi, the Telugu daily and news channel, were also raided. As many as 32 corporates and some individuals who invested in the firms owned by Jagan are now under the CBI's scanner and their premises have been raided.
The CBI had initiated a probe into Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's assets, following the directives of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Based on separate petitions filed by Textile Minister P Shankar Rao and TDP leader K Yerran Naidu, the High Court had recently asked the CBI to probe assets that the Kadapa MP had allegedly amassed illegally during YSR's regime.
Similarly, the AP High Court had, on August 10, ordered a CBI inquiry into the land allotments made to Emaar by the YSR government, and the dilution of the stake of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) in the joint venture with Emaar for the development of a township in the city.
Separate teams were formed to conduct the searches after the central agency on Wednesday approached the CBI Special Court to seek search warrants for over 90 locations owned by as many as 32 corporates and some individuals who have invested in the firms owned by Jagan. (INN)