Tuesday, Sep 24, 2013

Hyderabad: Amid a rousing reception from his supporters, a smiling Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy drove out of Chanchalguda Central Jail in Hyderabad on Tuesday afternoon, after being granted bail in a disproportionate assets case.

Almost 24 hours after the CBI court had granted him bail, formal court orders reached the jail authorities and he was allowed to go home after the completion of legal formalities.

As Reddy, surrounded by policemen, came out from jail, the waiting crowds surged forward for a better look of their leader and dozens of TV cameramen had to fight hard for clear footage.

Earlier in the day, Reddy’s cousins furnished two personal sureties of Rs200,000 each in the CBI court. After the legal formalities were completed, the court issued an order to Chanchalguda jail authorities to release him on bail. The orders were taken personally by a court employee accompanied by Jagan’s lawyer Ashok Reddy.

With huge crowds of party workers, supporters and curious onlookers gathering outside the jail from morning, the authorities had to rush in reinforcements from other parts of the city.

Security arrangements

Barbed wire fencing and barricades were also put up around the jail area and roads were closed to keep the situation under control. In addition to the local police, authorities also deployed a company of the Border Security Force and AP Special Police.

As part of the security, police vehicles escorted the Kadapa member of Parliament till his residence and roads were cleared of traffic on important junctions of Moazzam Jahi Market, Lakdi Ka Pul, Khairatabad and Banjara Hills.

Reddy, who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the disproportionate assets case on May 27, 20012, was taken straight to his residence ‘Lotus Pond’ in the posh Jubilee Hills area where his mother Vijayalakshmi and other family members along with a huge crowd of supporters waited for him.

There was an air of celebration at his residence. Slogans of ‘YSR Zindabad’ and ‘Jai Jagan’ were raised as his supporters danced and distributed sweets.

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) workers indulged in celebrations in many districts, especially Rayalaseema where it is believed that Reddy will take command of the party’s agitation against the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

However, Reddy will not be able to move out of the city immediately as the court has imposed a condition that he should remain in Hyderabad.

While the main opposition Telugu Desam Party and the BJP alleged that a nexus of the Congress and the YSRCP was responsible for Reddy’s release from jail, his party denied it, saying it was showing disrespect to the court.

By Mohammed Siddique ?Correspondent

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