Hyderabad, Oct 10 (PTI) The ED has moved the Telangana High Court for a speedy, day-to-day trial and the personal appearance of all the accused in prosecution complaints filed by it under the provisions of the PMLA against former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and others.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation began based on an FIR registered by the CBI against the YSR Congress president and 73 others over alleged quid pro quo investments in his companies.
The probe was initiated into alleged government favours to large corporates and individuals, and the receipt of huge investments into the companies of Jagan and his family members as part of a quid pro quo arrangement for the favours extended by the AP government during the chief ministership of his father, late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
The ED filed nine prosecution complaints against Jagan and others, before the Special Court for CBI cases here between 2016 and 2021.
Cognizance has been taken in all the nine complaints filed and pending for hearing of discharge petitions.
The pendency of the discharge petitions has kept the prosecution complaints at a preliminary stage and has consequently delayed further progress of the complaints filed, the ED said in a statement on Saturday.
The ED observed that even after considerable years of time from the date of cognizance, there is no significant progress in the proceedings of the complaints before the CBI Special Court.
Discharge petitions were heard by the Special Court but not yet decided either due to transfer of presiding officers or other reasons, it said.
“The ED, through the right to speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution, approached the Telangana High Court (on September 23) with the prayer to direct the criminal justice system to ensure that proceedings are to be conducted with reasonable expedition,” the agency said.
The proceedings have remained pending in Jagan’s case for nearly 10 years and the chronology of the proceedings itself demonstrate the absence of reasonable expedition in the prosecution of the matter, it claimed.
“To conduct a speedy and day-to-day hearing / trial of the prosecutions complaints filed along with discharge petitions mentioned, in the interest of justice, the writ petition was filed before the High Court,” the ED release said.
The ED investigation has claimed that huge investments were made by various companies and individuals through subscription of shares at exorbitant rates into companies such as Bharati Cement Corporation Pvt Ltd, Jagati Publications Ltd and Janai Infrastructure Pvt Ltd related to Jagan and his family members, it further said. PTI VVK SJR SJR KH
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