Gag order on FIR over Amaravati land scam is unfortunate: Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy

Amaravati, September 16: Terming the gag order on the FIR in the Amaravati land scam as unfortunate, Advisor to Government (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramkrishna Reddy said that there was no need for the Government to be vindictive and even if that was the case it can be challenged after the investigation but stalling it at the bud stage is something beyond our comprehension.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, he said, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been raising the Amaravati land scam even while he was in the Opposition and the investigation was done by an independent agency on the basis of which the FIR was registered.

No sooner the FIR was registered, the court was moved immediately and the gag order was passed in quick succession which seems that influential people are at work. While our plea for CBI probe was rejected TDP leaders could get a stay on GOs and surprisingly the TDP leaders had foretold the stay even, he said adding that they will move the apex court.

A known TDP activist turned Advocate General and kin of an influential person must have figured on merits of the investigation but stalling the probe in the initial stage is unprecedented, he said adding that national media has reacted by tweets on the issue. This is not just a gag on media but it is a gag on institutions, and gag on the system, he said.

Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy clarified that the FIR was filed by an independent body upon having conclusive evidence against the accused and those involved in the scam, but the court didn't seem to consider them on the plea of the petitioner that the government was vindictive. "We are not vindictive towards opposition party leaders and thus we requested for fair investigation by CBI, which is a Central Government institution. The High Court orders were surprising," he said, adding that the public started to believe that justice differs from a common man to influential persons.

Ramakrishna Reddy said that the stay came on another petition filed by TDP leaders Varla Ramaiah and Alapati Raja, on the constitution of SIT on Amaravati land scam. In regard to this, he questioned how the TDP leaders knew about the judgement yesterday itself.

Speaking on the issue of the missing silver idols at Kanaka Durga Temple, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said that the opposition TDP leaders are planning for a conspiracy and are behind the series of incidents taking place across the State. He said that Chandrababu Naidu has been trying to create communal clashes and religious conflicts to divert the public from the land scam issue.