The YSR cabinet had given an approval for the allotment of 4,000 acres only for the Vadrarevu, Nizampatnam Port and for Vanpic project developed by industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad but minister Mopidevi Venkataramana got another 24,000 acres and transferred to the supporter without the acceptance of the cabinet, the CBI has blamed.
In its counter opposing the bail application moved by Mopidevi that came up for hearing in the CBI court on Monday, the CBI said as minister for ports, infrastructure & investments, Mopidevi knew the plans of Nimmagadda Prasad to knock away 24,000 acres of land with government help in June 2008 itself. "Since Venkataramana was heading the relevant portfolio, things went through his department and he chose to keep his cabinet colleagues in the dark about the quantum of land that was needed for this project. The cabinet approval came only for 4,000 acres for setting up two ports in Guntur and Prakasam districts. For setting up the proposed industrial corridor connecting both these ports, an unspecified quantum of land was sought and an additional 24,000 acres was transferred to Prasad's firms in a clandestine manner," it said.
According to the CBI, as per the original agreement between the government and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), the land should be returned to the state after the expiry of the lease period. "However, Mopidevi, in connivance with Nimmagadda Prasad and others, managed to transfer the 24,000 acres to the firms of Prasad permanently. The spirit of the original agreement was respected only in the case of ports project but not in the industrial corridor aspect," the CBI counter said.
According to the contents of the counter, Nimmagadda Prasad, who came in as RAK's Indian partner, and Mopidevi as AP's representative, misled their respective states. While Prasad brough Navayuga firm through back door and reduced the share of RAK from 50% to 26%, Mopidevi harmed the interests of the state, CBI SP H Venkatesh said in his counter. The minister in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy also approved the draft concession agreement which had many contradictory provisions that were detrimental to the state government and unduly beneficial to Vanpic as compared to the cabinet memorandum, the SP said.
Appearing for Mopidevi, senior counsel C Padmanabha Reddy told the court that the file pertaining to Vanpic was prepared by the bureaucracy and approved by the cabinet. As minister for the portfolio concerned, he had no other option but to implement it, he said. The question of Mopidevi tampering with the evidence and influencing the witnesses does not arise now as he had already resigned from his job.
He also mentioned and reminded to the court that many ministers who got notices from Supreme court in connection to the Jagan assets cases are still now continuing their positions.
