Jagan firms yield Rs 113cr

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In response to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s order to banks to freeze the bank accounts of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s group of companies; the companies — Jagati Publications, Indira TV and Janani Infra — on Wednesday filed three petitions in the CBI court pleading for de-freezing of the bank accounts. The CBI has seized Rs 113 crore, that includes Rs 103 crore in fixed deposits of these companies in various banks.

The court of the first additional special judge for CBI cases at Gagan Vihar took up the petitions and asked the investigating agency to file its counter on May 10. The CBI on Wednesday froze the accounts of Jagati Publications and Janani Infra in the Indian Overseas Bank branch in Jubilee Hills. On Tuesday they had frozen the accounts of these companies in the State Bank of India and the Oriental Bank of Commerce.

Jagati Publications Private Ltd (JPPL), represented by its financial director Y. Eswar Prasad Reddy, in its petition gave an undertaking that it will not transfer or alienate its property or shares till the case is concluded. JPPL said that the Sakshi newspaper has a circulation of 14 lakh and is the second largest daily in the state.

Guv, SHRC approached
The State Human Rights Commission on Wedne-sday served notices to chief secretary Pankaj Dwivedi, labour commissioner and the Central Bureau of Investigation for its move to freeze the bank accounts of Sakshi newspaper, owned by Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Meanwhile, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan said that he would look into the memorandum submitted by journalists regarding the freezing of accounts.

Journalist unions and employees of Sakshi protested against the CBI’s move to freeze the bank accounts of the media house across the state, taking out a rally from the Somajiguda Press Club to the Raj Bhavan. However, the rally was stopped at the Lake View Guest House by the police. Only representatives were allowed into the Raj Bhavan where they submitted the memorandum to the Governor.

Elsewhere, the SHRC issued notices to the chief secretary, the labour commissioner and the CBI, and asked them to submit a comprehensive report behind the decision to freeze the bank accounts. The report would have to be filed by June 6. The SHRC came into the picture after an advocate, C.N. Arun Kumar, filed a petition against the CBI decision. In his complaint, Mr Arun Kumar took serious objection to the CBI’s decision and said that hundreds of families were dependent on the newspaper and the TV channel for their livelihood.

BOUNTY EXPOSE
* Jagati Publications
Fixed Deposit : Rs 103 cr
SBI: Rs 8 cr
Oriental Bank of Commerce: Rs 65 L
Indian Overseas Bank: Rs 3.3 L

* Indira Television
Oriental Bank of Commerce: Rs 91.35 L

* Janani Infrastructure
Indian Overseas Bank: Rs 45.99 L
Oriental Bank of Commerce: Rs 82,700