State’s view: Charges weak
The state government is, prima facie, of the view that the chargesheet filed by the CBI against roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and others in the Jagan illegal investment case lacked strength. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was briefed about the chargesheet by officials, discussed its contents with senior ministers including Mr Rao when he spoke to the CM over phone from New Delhi.
Sources told this newspaper that the government classified the GOs mentioned in the chargesheet into two catego-ries — those issued in as per policy and those in violation of rules. “Of the several decisions taken by Mr Rao, the CBI picked mainly two orders to attribute motives to his actions,” sources said.
The CBI is of the view that Nimmagadda Pras-ad, one of the accused, took advantage of the order, which was approved by Mr Rao and issued by the then principal revenue secretary M. Samu-el, allowing his company to “directly pay compensation to land owners.”
The second issue pertained to bifurcation of the project into ports and industrial corridor besides allotment of thousands of acres of land for Vanpic Projects in which Mr Prasad holds a major stake, instead of giving Vanpic Ports to Ras Al Khaima be developed under G2G model. However, the minister is learnt to have informed the CBI that he never issued orders to bifurcate the project and it fell in the domain of the infrastructure and investment department; not revenue.
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