Hyderabad: Fearing a breakdown of law and order in view of the likely arrest of YSR Congress Party leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the alleged illegal assets case, police in Hyderabad imposed prohibitory orders here on Thursday. Speculation is rife that he may be arrested three days before he is scheduled to appear in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on May 28. The agency has also summoned the Kadapa legislator on Friday for questioning.
The prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, banning assembly of five or more persons, came into force at 6 a.m. on Thursday. Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma said the orders would be in force till May 29. There will be no permission for meetings, rallies and processions during the period. Police have launched checking of vehicles and frisking of people, especially at the entry points into the city.
The police commissioner said they had reliable information that "in view of forthcoming by-elections certain political parties are likely to organise large number of supporters in Hyderabad city limits, taking advantage of some local events to derive political advantage." In the emotionally charged atmosphere, large-scale mobilisation of people is likely to adversely affect maintenance of law and order, the police chief said.
Jaganmohan Reddy has alleged that a conspiracy was hatched by Congress government in collusion with the opposition Telugu Desam Party and the CBI to arrest him. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh two days ago, the young leader also claimed that a conspiracy was also conceived to trigger riots after his arrest and throw the blame on him.
The CBI on Wednesday issued notices to Jagan asking him to appear before it. The Andhra Pradesh High Court also had rejected a petition by him seeking exemption from appearance.
The son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was already issued summons by the CBI court, directing him to appear in the court on May 28. His petition seeking exemption from personal appearance was also dismissed by the court. Jagan is accused of conspiring with his father to dole out favours to companies which invested in his businesses in a quid pro quo arrangement.
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