Andhra on alert, YSR Congress calls for bandh

The YSR Congress party has called for a shutdown in Andhra Pradesh today to protest the arrest of its leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy in the disproportionate assets case. The MP and son of late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was arrested after the CBI grilled him for the third consecutive day.

In custody: Jagan, who is accused number one, is the fifth person to be arrested in the case. He is one of the richest MPs in the country with declared assets of Rs 356 crore. File pic

Although, the party leaders have appealed to people to observe the "bandh" in a peaceful manner, anticipating violent protests by the supporters of Jagan, police went on high alert across the state.

Prohibitory orders are already in force in Hyderabad, Jagan's native Kadapa district and other parts of the state. Also, police stepped up security at the guest house, Jagan's residence and YSR party office and at other important places in the state capital.

Security was also tightened in the districts. Policemen were out on the streets while leaders and activists of the YSR party were also arrested at some places. The state-owned road transport corporation stopped plying its buses as a precautionary measure in some districts.

Jagan, as the Kadapa MP is popularly known, did not come out of Dilkusha Guest House even after 7 pm, triggering speculation that the investigating agency had taken him into custody. The arrest was confirmed when Jagan's mother Vijayamma and other family members drove to the guest house to meet him.

Jagan, one of the richest MPs in the country with declared assets of Rs 356 crore, was arrested a day before he was scheduled to appear in the CBI court with regard to first of the three charge sheets filed so far by the investigating agency.

The young leader and 71 others were booked by CBI in August last year after Andhra Pradesh High Court ordered a CBI probe, acting on the petitions filed by Congress leader P. Shankar Rao and some Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders.

Jagan is accused of amassing huge wealth after his father became the chief minister in 2004. The CBI believes that Jagan conspired with his father to dole out favours to certain companies in return for the investments they made in his firms.u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0 u00a0u00a0