The fate of roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao will be decided on Tuesday when he appears in court in response to the summons issued by the CBI special court in the Vanpic port case. He is the fifth accused in the case. Nine other accused in the case, including YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, former minister M. Venkataramana and senior IAS officials Manmohan Singh and P. Samuel, will be appearing before the Nampally court on Tuesday.
Legal experts say Mr Prasada Rao could be arrested and released on bail with sureties and personal bond. The CBI can also file a petition in court seeking police custody of the minister and the other accused who have not been arrested so far. The CBI will most likely oppose the minister’s bail petition, if he files one. Meanwhile, the state government is silent on who will bear the legal expenditure of Prasada Rao and bureaucrats Manmohan Singh and M. Samuel, in the CBI special court.