Hyderabad: The CBI on Wednesday opposed the special
class prisoner status petition moved by Trimex Group chairman
Koneru Rajendra Prasad, arrested in connection with the
alleged irregularities in the APIIC-Emaar Properties land
deal.
Prasad, who is also the promoter of Stylish Homes Real
Estate Pvt Ltd and currently under judicial custody till
December 2, had yesterday moved a petition before the special
court for CBI cases seeking special class prisoner status on
grounds that he is an NRI and an industrialist for the past 30
years and doing business from Dubai.
Lodged in Chanchlguda jail here as an ordinary inmate,
Prasad through his counsel submitted in the court that he was
suffering from serious health problems and sought better
facilities.
"My client enjoys a social status and is leading a
superior mode of life and satisfies the criteria under the
Prison Rules," Prasad's counsel B Ashokvardhan Reddy said.
However, CBI deputy legal adviser B Ravindranath and
senior public prosecutor T V Ramana opposed the petition on
the ground that Prasad had education qualification only till
Intermediate.
"The accused (Prasad) has no right to claim for special
prisoner status as it is through illegal activities that he
earned the money," the CBI counsels said.
Prasad was not entitled to special prisoner class status
as he did rest fulfil the required criteria, they said.
"The petitioner (Prasad) did not enjoy social status as
(anti-corruption crusader) Anna Hazare," the counsels
submitted.
After hearing the arguments, the court posted the matter
for order to November 25.
Stylish Homes Real Estate Pvt Ltd, one of the marketing
agents for Emaar, is accused of underreporting rates of the
plots and villas, built in Gachibowli here, than the actual
selling price.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 23:06