Breather for Dharmana in Jagan case

In a major relief to a senior cabinet minister in Andhra

Pradesh, a special court Tuesday did not order his arrest in the Y.S.

Jaganmohan Reddy illegal assets case.The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) special court

adjourned the hearing against Minister for Roads and Buildings Dharmana Prasada

Rao, a former minister, two IAS officers and others till Oct 9.Prasada Rao was allowed to leave the court after he

deposited a personal bond of Rs.25,000 and two sureties of the like amount.Prasada Rao appeared before the court amid speculations that

he may be arrested for his alleged role in the Vanpic part of the case.Two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers Manmohan

Singh and M. Samuel also appeared before the case.YSR Congress party president Jaganmohan Reddy, former

minister Mopidevi Venkatramna, bureaucrat K.V. Brahmananda Reddy and

industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad were also brought from Chanchalguda Jail to the

Nampally Criminal Court complex amid tight security.The court extended their judicial custody till Oct 9.

The accused were produced in connection with the fourth

chargesheet filed by the CBI against them last month.The court complex was teeming with VIP accused and dozens of

their followers. Jaganmohan Reddy's mother Y.S. Vijayalakshmi, wife Bharati and

other family members also reached there to meet him.Prasada Rao had submitted his resignation to Chief Minister

N. Kiran Kumar Reddy a day after he was named in the charge sheet.The chief minister is yet to take a decision on the

resignation.The CBI in May this year had arrested excise minister

Mopidevi Venkataramana. He resigned from the cabinet the same day.Prasada Rao was holding the revenue portfolio and Mopidevi

was in charge of infrastructure and investment in the cabinet of Y.S.

Rajasekhara Reddy, father of Jaganmohan Reddy.The CBI believes the ministers violated norms to extend

several concessions to Nimmagadda Prasad, one of the promoters of Vadrevu and

Nizampatnam Ports and Industrial Corridor (Vanpic).According to the investigating agency, 28,000 acres of land

was allotted to Vanpic, for which the then government of Rajasekhara Reddy had

signed a memorandum of understanding with Ras Al Khaimah.The project was allegedly favoured by the government in

return for the investments Prasad made in the companies owned by the chief

minister's son Jaganmohan Reddy.Rajasekhara Reddy died in a helicopter crash on Sep 2, 2009.