The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday arrested YSR Congress Party President Jagan Mohan Reddy in the disproportionate assets case. Jagan was formally arrested at around 7.20 pm on Sunday after the end of questioning on the third consecutive day by the CBI at Dilkusha Guest House.
He was questioned by the CBI officials in the presence of Jagathi Publications vice-chairman V Vijay Sai Reddy, industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and senior bureaucrat K V Brahmananda Reddy. All three were already arrested by the CBI in the assets case.
Jagan's arrest on Sunday looked imminent when the State police went on high alert at around 4 pm. The city police issued a traffic advisory at around 5.40 pm restricting vehicular movement on Monday on the routes leading to the CBI Special Court located at Criminal Courts Complex at Nampally.
The prohibitory orders under Section 144 have already been imposed in several places and YSR Congress workers have been taken into preventive custody in Hyderabad and other districts. Security has also been beefed up outside the Lotus Pond, Jagan's residence.
After being informed by the CBI officials that they were arresting Jagan, his mother and Pulivendula MLA Vijayamma, wife Bharathi, sister Sharmila, brother-in-law Anil Kumar and other close relatives came to Dilkhusha Guest House to see him. However, they did not speak to the media after Jagan's arrest.
Meanwhile, Home Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy issued a statement in the evening warning that stringent action would be taken against those who resort to violence. “It is the duty of the government to protect law and order. If anyone, however high and mighty they maybe, breaches the law, they will be punished. We are taking all precautionary measures to see that peace and tranquility is not disturbed”, she said in her statement.
After Jagan's arrest, Anakapalle MP Sabbam Hari told reporters that the CBI has informed the family members just 20 minutes before Jagan was formally arrested. They were asked to inform their lawyers about the arrest. He said Jagan has appealed to his supporters to observe peace and restrain. He said Jagan himself has predicted that he would be arrested soon and it was the result of a conspiracy hatched by the Congress, TDP and the CBI.
YSRC spokesperson Jupadi Prabhakar Rao said the decision on how to fight the case in the court and how to continue the by-elections campaign would be taken later.