CM Jagan, not Chandrababu, derserves life term: TDP leader Varla Ramaiah
Jan 13, 2024
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 14 : In a blistering attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, TDP leader Varla Ramaiah on Saturday said the former was a fit candidate for serving 'life imprisonment' than his party chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
The TDP Supremo and the former Andhra CM was arrested in connection with the alleged skill development 'scam'. However, he was later granted interim bail on health grounds.
Speaking to media persons at the TDP headquarters in Amravati on Saturday, Ramaiah said, "If Chandrababu is sentenced to life even though all courts, where cases against him are pending, are saying there's not a shred of evidence to support the charges; then one can only imagine the number of times Jagan should be handed a life term as chargesheets have already been filed in 11 cases against him?"
"All 11 chargesheets were filed in separate cases as far back as 12 years ago. The courts have taken cognisance of the chargesheets filed against him and the CBI has submitted necessary evidence to support the charges," the TDP leader added.
Claiming that Jagan was treating his party MLAs like pawns on a chessboard, Ramaiah called on the CM to come clean on whether he amassed wealth and built his businesses through a quid pro quo and taking advantage of his father YS Rajsekhar Reddy's position as a former CM.
"Since the charge of him amassing wealth through a quid pro quo has been determined through evidence, one can imagine the number of life terms that Jagan should serve," Ramaiah said.
He claimed that not a single chargesheet has been filed against Chandrababu and he was, instead, granted anticipatory bail.
He demanded that the officers investigating the cases against Chandrababu be suspended for not carrying out the probes in a fair and unbiased manner.
Claiming that the courts have already made it clear that there's no prosecutable evidence against Chandrababu in any of the cases pending against him, Ramaiah said the police have, instead, been pulled up over their manner of investigation.
The court even rebuked the police and the Crime Investigation Department (CID), he claimed.
Stressing that the police must refrain from using their powers in an arbitrary and injudicious manner, he said one should not be harassed unless there's concrete evidence against him.
"Was it right for Jagan to seek 3,500 adjournments without attending the court?" Ramaiah asked, adding that he wondered if a common could secure so many adjournments.
"The courts even questioned Jagan on how his personal wealth and assets grew so suddenly, by leaps and bounds. In 2004, he was estimated to be holding properties worth only Rs 1.73 crore", the TDP Politburo member said, adding, "Even the learned judges have come to an understanding that Jagan is among the most corrupt leaders in this country and this sentiment or refrain is echoed in their pronouncements in the cases against him."
"I would urge our honourable courts to review the rulings in cases against Jagan," Ramaih said.