SC dismisses Jagan's plea against arrest in assets case

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition of YSR Congress leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy challenging his arrest in a disproportionate assets case.

A bench of justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai, however, sought response of CBI on a separate petition by Reddy, who is an MP, seeking bail in the matter.

The apex court issued notice to the investigating agency after senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Reddy, submitted that various principles relating to grant of bail set by the Supreme Court had been overlooked by the Andhra Pradesh high court and a Central Bureau of Investigation court judge while denying him the relief.

Reddy had on July 23 withdrawn his bail plea, filed on July 9, challenging the high court's order rejecting his plea in the disproportionate assets case against him.

Jethmalani had sought withdrawal of the application on the ground that he intended to file a modified application on the issue.

On July 9, Reddy had moved the apex court seeking bail saying the CBI did not have a shred of evidence against him in the illegal assets case. He had argued that merely being wealthy or in public life does not deprive him of his right to get bail.

In the Special Leave Petition filed through his counsel Senthil Jagadeesan, the rebel Congress leader had submitted there was "complete and utter misapplication of the principles governing bail jurisprudence by the high court, leading to deprivation of his right to liberty granted by the Constitution".

In his SLP before the apex court, Reddy, son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhara Reddy, had contended that the high court had denied him the bail merely because of his political position.

The high court had on July 4 rejected Reddy's bail plea on the ground that he had the propensity to influence witnesses.

The CBI had arrested Jagan Reddy on May 27 for allegedly amassing wealth exceeding his legal income.