CID inquiry to escape exposure through CBI inquiry

• Chandrababu is protecting culprits
• Is this the way to behave with a Rs.10,000 crore scam?
• No offenders were arrested
• Minister Prathipati’s wife was sold lands while the investigation was still on
• Properties should be auctioned under the supervision of the High Court: YS Jagan

 Hyderabad: YSRCP president and leader of opposition YS Jagan complained that CM Chandrababu Naidu was protecting culprits of Agrigold issue instead of getting them punished. He informed that investigation was going on for Rs.2460 crore Sarada Chit Fund scam in West Bengal and exclaimed that Agrigold scam had not yet seen inquiry in spite of being a relatively bigger scam. He commented that Chandrababu had not yet ordered for CBI inquiry as he feared that things would be exposed against his favour. He added that Babu was rather confident about keeping CID under his control.

Speaking in the assembly during discussion on Agrigold, YS Jagan stated that there were 32 lakh victims of Agrigold according to the computation of CID while 40 lakh was the count in reality. CBI’s estimation of the amount of deposits was Rs.6,850 crore. Interest of Rs.3150 crore included, Rs.10,000 crore was the total amount, according to CID’s estimation. YS Jagan slammed the TDP Government for falsely and irrelevantly stating that this amount grew in Dr. YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s tenure. He read out the letter written by SEBI on the 31st of March in 1998.

YS Jagan exclaimed that TDP was by the side of Agrigold victims when it was an opposition party and had promised them justice at the time of elections too. He complained that Chandrababu, upon getting into power, started to concentrate on protecting the accused instead of getting them punished. YS Jagan informed that the first case on Agrigold had been registered in 2014 at Nellore and CID inquiry had been ordered on the 5th of January in 2015, while criticizng the snail-paced investigation. CM Chandrababu stated that he had been putting pressure on CID investigation. Leaders of the ruling party posed obstruction and counterattacked a number of times during YS Jagan’s speech.

A People’s Interest Litigation had been filed in the High Court against Agrigold. CID officials had unjustly suggested the court that the officials of Agrigold did not need to be arrested. GO 23 had been issued on the 20th of February in 2015 attaching the details of Agrigold properties. Properties in Tirupati were not mentioned in this. Agrigold’s vice-chairman Sitaram had sold the properties to a person named Avvas for Rs.14 crore while the investigation was still going on. Before the GO 23 was issued, Agrigold sold the properties to Uday Kiran, the director of Ram Avas Resorts and the wife of Prathipati Pullarao. YS Jagan presented proofs pertaining to this in the assembly, mentioning that these details had not been mentioned in the attachment provided by the Government.

YS Jagan ridiculed that it happy to see that the minister had accepted buying the lands with the name of Venkayamma. While YS Jagan was speaking, he was obstructed by Achennayudu, Prathipati Pullarao, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Bonda Uma trying to sidetrack the issue. An undistracted YS Jagan continued to reveal the problems faced by Agrigold victims. He explained how 8 lakh victims were leaving their villages and more than 100 suicides took place. YS Jagan reminded that the customers and agents of Agrigold had appealed for CBI inquiry in the High court as they knew that the inquiry ordered by Chandrababu Naidu would do them no justice.

Neither Sitaram Avvas nor Uday Kiran was arrested by CID. Five other people had been arrested instead. He demanded the Government to order for CBI inquiry on Agrigold scam and for auction of Agrigold properties under the supervision of the High Court’s judge. He reminded that SEBI had suggested for ban of Agrigold company in 1998 and questioned why TDP had not done that, while presenting the picture that Chandrababu had taken with the chairman of Agrigold.

YS Jagan complained the irregularity of CID inquiry. He demanded that inquiry was done on all the 155 companies owned by Agrigold. The chairman’s son started a gold store in Dubai. No investigation had touched him. CID was boldly stating in front of the court that no arrest was needed. He demanded promise of justice from the Government.