Zee Media Bureau
Hyderabad: YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy was was on Tuesday greeted by hundreds of his supporters who followed their leader as he headed towards his residence after walking out of prison following bail in a corruption case.
A special CBI Court yesterday granted bail to the 40-year- old Jagan, who had been in jail for 16 months after being arrested in a disproportionate assets case on May 27, 2012.
The journey of 10km from Chanchalguda jail in the Old City to his residence at Lotus Pond at the posh Jubilee Hills here took almost five hours as Jagan`s supporters lustily cheered and followed his convoy.
The supporters showered petals and wished him on his release. The security personnel accompanying Jagan`s vehicle had a tough time keeping the jubilant crowd at a safe distance from the YSRCP president.
The busy evening traffic in the city was thrown out of gear as his convoy moved towards his residence.
Jagan was received at his residence by his family members, including mother YS Vijayamma, sister Sharmila, wife Bharati, their daughters and others, at around 9.30 P.M.
A festive mood was witnessed since morning at Jagan`s residence with YSRCP activists, who had gathered there in large numbers, raising slogans and dancing to the beat of drums.
Many of the supporters came from Jagan`s native Kadapa and other Seemandhra districts, where YSRCP has a strong presence.
Thousands of supporters, chanting slogans hailing their leader, had gathered outside the jail since morning awaiting Jagan`s release, which is widely expected to lend an added political punch to the ongoing popular movement against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
The crowd broke into a loud cheer as Jagan stepped out of jail, flashed a broad smile and greeted his supporters and partymen, including legislators, with folded hands.
Jaganmohan cannot leave Hyderabad without the court`s permission. He also has to present himself before the court during the proceedings in the case.
Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court judge U Durgaprasada Rao had granted bail to Jaganmohan Reddy on a personal bond of Rs two lakh and two securities of the like amount.
The court said CBI can approach for cancellation of bail if Jaganmohan violates any of these conditions.
The 40-year-old son of late chief minister YS Rajasekhara ReddyJagan was arrested by the CBI May 27 last year.
The premier investigative agency has filed 10 chargesheets in the DA case against Jaganmohan Reddy so far, the last two on September 17.
Several former and serving ministers and bureaucrats are also accused in the case.
The case relates to alleged investments made by private firms and individual investors in Reddy`s companies in return for the favours they received when his father YSR was the chief minister between 2004-09.
Jagan`s father died in a helicopter crash in September 2009, a few months after he led Congress party to a second consecutive term in power. Following differences with Congress leadership, Jagan quit the Congress party in 2010 and floated the YSR Congress.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2011 ordered CBI investigations into Jagan`s alleged illegal assets when Congress leader P. Shankar Rao wrote a letter to the chief justice.
Later, YSRC spokesman Ambati Rambabu expressed full faith in the judiciary and said their leader will come out clean after the trial.
Reacting on the development, the BJP alleged CBI, apparently under pressure from Congress, has made a mockery of the judicial system in Jagan’s disproportionate assets case by keeping him in custody for 16 months but now letting him be freed on bail with little protest.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu alleged a "match-fixing" between YSR Congress and Congress.
"The way bail was granted to him and the manner in which the charge sheet against him was diluted only show that there is a clear understanding between YSR Congress and Congress," he told reporters.
