Following allegations by YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy that Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials investigating cases against him were acting on a "hidden agenda set by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu," the ED is reportedly looking into his claims.
The Times of India reported that that Jagan filed a written complaint in February this year, where he specifically named two officials and said that the probe against him was a "net result of an unholy nexus between the Congress and TDP."
"The ED is acting in a manner as if it has mandate to provide political fodder to my rivals in AP. To malign my party is the political agenda of TDP and ED is catering to this need...It requires a high-level probe as to how the AP CMO is giving instructions to ED officials because every action of the ED is being dictated from the AP CMO," TOI quotes Jagan as saying.
This development comes just days after Jagan met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and reportedly lodged another complaint on the issue.
“We will support any candidate the BJP fields as we have very less differences in opinion. Except for differences on the land acquisition bill and special status for Andhra Pradesh, we share similar opinions on various issues, which we think are pro-people,” Jagan had told reporters after the meeting.
However, the ruling TDP in Andhra, which is part of the NDA coalition, criticised Jagan for the meeting, stating that he was trying to 'escape' investigation by central agencies.
In the first week of May, the ED filed a charge sheet with regard to the Penna Cements case, which also named YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy as an accused.
The ED accused Jagan, YSRC MP Vijaya Sai Reddy, and Penna Cements Limited owner Penna Pratap Reddy, of laundering money illegally, when Jagan's father YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister of the state.
Last month, in a major relief for Jagan, a special court in Hyderabad dismissed a petition by the CBI, that sought to cancel the Andhra Opposition leader's bail.
The CBI had sought to cancel his bail on the grounds that he could influence witnesses, citing an interview by former state Chief Secretary Ramakanth Reddy to Sakshi TV, where he said that he lacked confidence in the agency’s investigation in the DA case.
In his defence, Jagan's advocates had argued that the politician was not involved in deciding the content of the channel.
Jagan spent 16 months in jail, after being arrested in May 2012, in the DA case when he was an MP.
IANS inputs