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Youth involved in Jagan’s attack released on bail

Srinivasa Rao alias Srinivas was released from Rajahmundry Central Jail, a day after NIA Special Court in Vijayawada granted him bail.

IANS | Amaravati | May 25, 2019 5:14 pm

Youth involved in Jagan’s attack released on bail

YS Jaganmohan Reddy (File Photo: IANS)

A youth involved in the knife attack on YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Visakhapatnam Airport in October last year was released on bail on Saturday.

Srinivasa Rao alias Srinivas was released from Rajahmundry Central Jail, a day after NIA Special Court in Vijayawada granted him bail.

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The youth told reporters after his release that he did not deliberately attack Jagan Reddy. He claimed that he met the YSRCP leader to discuss people’s problems and the knife he was carrying accidentally hurt him.

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Claiming that he is a fan of Jagan Reddy, Srinivas said he was ready to undergo Narco Analysis test to prove his innocence.

He said after the incident when people around him started thrashing, Jagan Reddy intervened to save him.

Srinivas said he was happy that Jagan Reddy was becoming Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His family hoped that the government would drop the case against him.

Interestingly, Srinivas was released on bail two days after YSRCP stormed to power with resounding victory in Assembly elections. Jagan Reddy is set to take oath as the Chief Minister next week.

Jagan, as the YSRCP leader is popularly known, was injured when Srinivas, a worker at the airport canteen, attacked him with a knife used in cockfights on October 25. Jagan was attacked as he was waiting to board a flight to Hyderabad.

Jagan, who sustained a cut on his left upper arm, continued his journey and got admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad.

YSRCP had alleged a conspiracy by ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to kill its leader while the latter termed it as a ploy to gain public sympathy.

Jagan had refused to record his statement before the Andhra Pradesh Police saying he had no trust in agencies controlled by the state government.

On the directions of the Union Home Ministry, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) booked a case on January 1 and took up the investigation.

Within a month, NIA filed the charge sheet in the case and conveyed to the court that the probe into the conspiracy angle will continue.ker

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# India

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.