Sakshi accounts frozen -- ToI-9.5.12

CBI Trying To Kill Freedom of Press: Jagan   

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:In a move that is likely to affect the operations of Sakshi newspaper and Sakshi television, the CBI on Tuesday got the authorities of State Bank of India and Oriental Bank of Commerce to freeze the accounts belonging to these companies owned by YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy as part of its probe into the assets case.
    The accounts that were frozen were those of Jagatii Publications, publishers of Sakshi newspaper, Indira Television, which airs Sakshi TV news channel, and Janani Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, which provides logistics and infrastructure to Sakshi newspaper and TV. All operations of these accounts have been frozen until further notice and the banks were directed to confirm the action on the CBI notices including the details of the accounts and the amounts that are deposited in it and the transactions that they carried out.
    In the notices issued to the two banks under section 102 of the CrPC, CBI SP and chief investigating officer H Venkatesh charged that Jagan's firms, Jagathi, Indira and Janani have been maintaining accounts in these banks and parked the ‘ill-gotten’ proceeds of crime received from various sources under the guise of funds for conducting business.
    Swiftly reacting to the development, Jagan said: “I expected this move from the CBI long ago. Without proving anything against me, the CBI is trying to kill the freedom of the press and democratic values in the country. But it cannot stop Sakshi and Sakshi TV for doing its job. They have already secured public support in a big way. The people will teach a lesson to all the forces behind this act.”
    Sakshi newspaper and TV too condemned the CBI‘s action saying: “This is nothing but attack on the freedom of the press”. Sureedu made witness Hyderabad: The CBI did not even give us any notice or obtain permission from the court. They wrongly invoked the Prevention of Corruption Act and froze the bank accounts. We will challenge it in the court of law,” Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, managing director of Jagati Publications, told TOI after he received the notices from the banks. He vowed to continue the publication with the support of the people.
    Meanwhile, in another key development, the CBI could reign in YSR's aide E Suryanarayana Reddy (popularly known as Sureedu) and succeed in turning him as its witness in the case. The probe agency on Tuesday filed an application before the chief metropolitan magistrate court urging it to record his statement under section 164 of the Cr PC. Sureedu had reportedly deposed before the CBI earlier stating that it was YSR’s close aide K V P Ramachandra Rao who played an instrumental role in connecting Koneru Prasad, Matrix Prasad, Penna Pratap Reddy and others with the former chief minister. The CBI is seeking to record the statement of Suryudu in both the Jagan assets and Emaar scam cases.