SC Questions Delay in Jagan Mohan Reddy Corruption Cases: Is Justice Being Denied?

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th August. The Supreme Court of India has expressed its dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay in the trial of corruption cases involving Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. A bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna, Sanjay Kumar, and R. Mahadevan has adjourned the next hearing to the first week of November, raising concerns over the lack of progress in the cases against Reddy, who has been facing serious corruption charges for an extended period.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed 11 charge sheets against Reddy, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has submitted 9 complaints. Despite these filings, the cases have yet to move forward. The Supreme Court’s recent comments highlight its frustration with the delays, and it has directed the CBI to expedite proceedings.

According to The Print, Reddy has been out on bail since 2013. The Supreme Court’s displeasure with the ongoing delays is evident, especially since the court had previously ordered accelerated proceedings. However, there has been no substantial progress to date. Attorney Balaji Srinivasan reported that the court was particularly frustrated by the absence of any recent directives to speed up the trial, as previous orders had already emphasized the need for swift action.

The Supreme Court has now demanded an explanation from the CBI regarding the reasons for the delay in starting the trial against Reddy. This scrutiny follows claims by TDP leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister P. Raju, who has requested the cancellation of Reddy’s bail. Raju alleges that the CBI has been lenient towards Reddy and is not progressing the case toward a conclusion.

Reddy, who served as the Member of Parliament for Kadapa from 2009 to 2014, was arrested by the CBI in May 2012. He remained imprisoned in Hyderabad until he was granted bail in September 2013. Reddy subsequently served as the leader of the opposition in Andhra Pradesh from 2014 to 2019 before becoming the Chief Minister. According to a declaration filed before this year’s state assembly elections, Reddy faces 29 criminal cases, including 11 being investigated by the CBI under charges of fraud, criminal conspiracy, and offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Additionally, 9 money laundering cases are being probed by the ED.

Last November, the Supreme Court inquired about the reasons behind the delay in the hearing of the corruption cases against Reddy. Raju’s petition in court accused the CBI of being overly lenient and failing to bring the criminal case to a logical conclusion. In response, the court ordered the CBI to file an affidavit detailing the reasons for the delay and to address Raju’s petition seeking Reddy’s bail revocation.

The CBI, in its affidavit, countered the allegations and attributed the delays to a shortage of staff in the lower courts in Hyderabad, as well as the extensive number of witnesses and documents involved in the case (911 witnesses and 1,671 documents across 11 collective cases).

The Print also reports that the affidavit includes a rebuttal to Raju’s petitions. The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Reddy, has supported the BJP-NDA in passing legislation in Parliament over the past five years. Reddy has maintained a good relationship with the BJP leadership, leading TDP to allege that Raju’s appeals are an attempt to leverage his connections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure protection from the CBI.