Satyam: YSR ready for CBI probe
Coordinating mechanism involving SEBI, SFIO and CID suggested
Chief Minister explains about progress of probe in a letter to Prime Minister
Rival parties exploiting the issue, Rajasekhara Reddy tells Manmohan Singh
HYDERABAD:
Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has requested the Ministries of Finance and Company Affairs to suggest a coordinating mechanism involving the Central investigation agencies like Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the State’s Crime Investigation Department inquiring into the Satyam Computers’ fraud.
Dr. Reddy said he was making this request in light of reports in the media, supposedly made by the Central agencies that the required cooperation with them was wanting.
Apart from the coordinating mechanism, his government would welcome taking over of the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation, if deemed appropriate, he said.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, Dr. Reddy said the scrutiny of Satyam by investigating agencies following the confession of its erstwhile chairman B. Ramalinga Raju had engaged the attention of the information technology sector in India and abroad and made an impact on the IT industry’s image.
General elections
The issue had become all the more sensational coming as it did just ahead of the general elections.
The political parties were exploiting the issue and attacking the State government for diluting the gravity of the case.
Dr. Reddy tried to impress upon the Prime Minister that the CID (the highest agency within the purview of the State government) “waited till a complaint was received on January 9” in the absence of “any proper complaint” to set criminal law in motion. It was in regular touch with the SEBI, Enforcement Directorate and the Registrar of Companies and held several rounds of discussions jointly.
The Director, Investigation of Income Tax department, was informed about the searches from time to time and the IT department was already associated in the investigation.
The probe so far revealed embellishment of bank accounts by the company for more than seven years to impress the clients within the country and overseas.
The inflation of current account balance was testified by bank officials concerned and the company also raised money from NBFCs by pledging shares.
Construction projects
The Chief Minister also referred to the ‘media allegations’ about Maytas. He said Maytas was a group of infrastructure companies which independently participated in different tenders as part of a consortium with other companies and secured contracts for certain construction projects.
The scope of the present investigation included a probe into any connecting link. He said though it was a complicated investigation, he was confident that its results would meet the requirement of justice and the guilty brought to book.
Satyam probe: YSR seeks mechanism to involve Central agencies
Move follows reports that the agencies sought more cooperation from Andhra Pradesh government
The Chief Minister says the government is ready to entrust the probe to CBI, if need be
Charges political parties with exploiting the issue
HYDERABAD:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has requested the Ministries of Finance and Company Affairs to suggest a coordinating mechanism involving the central investigation agencies such as Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) with the State Crime Investigation Department inquiring into the Satyam Computers’ fraud.
He was making this request in the light of reports in the media supposedly made by the Central agencies that the required cooperation with them was wanting.
Apart from the coordinating mechanism, his government would welcome taking over of the case by the Central Bureau of Investigation, if deemed appropriate, he said.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, Dr. Reddy said the scrutiny of Satyam by investigating agencies following the confession of its erstwhile chairman B. Ramalinga Raju had engaged the attention of the information technology sector in India and abroad and made impact on the IT industry’s image. The issue had become all the more sensational coming as it did just ahead of the general elections. Political parties were exploiting the issue and attacking the State government for diluting the gravity of the case.
Dr. Reddy tried to impress upon the Prime Minister that the CID (the highest agency within the purview of the State government) “waited till a complaint was received on January 9” in the absence of “any proper complaint” to set criminal law in motion. It was in regular touch with the SEBI, Enforcement Directorate and the Registrar of Companies and held several rounds of discussions jointly.
The Director, Investigation of Income Tax Department, was informed of the searches from time to time, and the IT department was involved in the investigation. The probe so far revealed embellishment of bank accounts by the company for over seven years to impress clients in the country and overseas. The inflation of current account balance was testified by bank officials, and the company also raised money from NBFCs by pledging shares.
The Chief Minister, referring to the ‘media allegations’ about Maytas, said Maytas was a group of infrastructure companies which independently participated in different tenders as part of a consortium and secured contracts for certain construction projects. The scope of the investigation included a probe into any link.
YSR’s visit boosts party cadre morale
Chief Minister avoids contentious coastal corridor project issue
RIDING HIGH: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy rides a bullock cart at Cherukupalli in Guntur district on Wednesday.
NIZAMPATNAM:
The whirlwind visit of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to the coastal Guntur regions infused the much needed vigour into the party, facing the elections in a couple of months. The unprecedented crowd responses to the road side meetings have brought back the smiles to the faces of the Congress leaders. The Chief Minister while sounding the election bugle, seemed to indirectly confirm the candidatures of some popular leaders, including ministers, MPs and MLAs, by introducing them to the crowds while others tried their best to garner his attention by putting up large flex banners.
Going by the way the CM showered praise on Minister for Ports M. Venkata Ramana Rao at Nizampatnam, it seems that he would contest from Repalle as the Kuchinapudi constituency has vanished following delimitation exercise. But sitting Repalle MLA D. Mallikarjuna Rao mobilised even bigger crowd at Cherukupalli as a show of strength. In contrast, Vemur MLA Satish Paul Raj was almost sidelined and the CM seemed to hint at the candidature of Kuchipudi Sambasiva Rao for the reserved Vemuru constituency.
The Rajya Sabha MP J.D. Seelam, vying for Bapatla Parliamentary seat, was too seen accompanying the CM, while Salagala Rajasekhar seemed to be gaining strength and mobilised large crowds from Bapatla. At Tenali, local MP V. Balashourie and MLA Nadendla Manohar hogged the lime light, while Chairperson of SC Welfare Board Karumanchi Rama Devi tried to make her presence felt.
By consciously avoiding the contentious ‘coastal corridor’ issue, the Chief Minister sought to convey the message to people that the State Government had put the issue on the backburner for a while. Instead, he repeatedly harped on the pro-farmer, pro-women policies of the Government on one hand, while training his guns on the opposition on the other.
He tried to strike an emotional chord with the women folk by stating that his dream was to ensure that every women SHG member becomes a ‘lakhier’. He also promised that the Government is coming out a old-age pension scheme which would ensure that every SHG member gets a monthly pension varying from Rs.500 to Rs.2,700. He also sought out to reach to the fishermen community by listing the many welfare measures like life insurance scheme, subsidised fuel etc.
In a speech laced with sarcasm, he hit out at his detractors, the ‘grand alliance’ of TDP, TRS and CPM and sought to expose the shift in their ideologies. On a hot and sultry day, the Chief Minister appeared cheerful and confident of the party returning to power.
Grand alliance is unholy, says Chief Minister
YSR promises old-age pension for members of Self Help Groups
Sea of humanity: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy addressing a public meeting at Cherukupalli in Guntur district on Wednesday.
NIZAMPATNAM/CHERUKUPALLI (GUNTUR DT):
In a scathing attack on the grand alliance of Telugu Desam, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Left combine, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said that they had compromised on their ideological positions and stitched an unholy alliance with the sole aim of dethroning the Congress-led government.
Addressing a slew of well-attended roadside meetings during the Rajiv Palle Bata and Nagara Bata programmes on Wednesday, Dr. Reddy announced that the government would soon launch a revolutionary old-age pension scheme for SHG women. A monthly pension varying from Rs. 500 to Rs. 2,700 would be given to women above 60 years automatically. The scheme would be inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi next month.
“How can the TRS, which has been clamouring for a separate Telangana State, and the Left parties singing a ‘United State’ tune, come together? How can CPI(M), which labelled Chandrababu Naidu as a World Bank employee four years ago, now sing paeans to the same person?” he questioned during his tour of the coastal mandals Nizampatnam, Nagaram, Cherukupalli and Kuchipudi on the way to Tenali.
The Chief Minister sought to expose the ideological change in those parties. He asked the people to teach them a befitting lesson “as they crave only for power”.
Training his guns on Praja Rajyam president K. Chiranjeevi, Dr. Reddy said that he was an actor who “earned crores on the sweat-beads of his diehard fans” but had done nothing for his native place for the last 30 years. “How can people believe that he would work for the welfare of 8.5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh?”
The Chief Minister, on his arrival at Nizampatnam, received a tumultuous welcome from women who turned out in large numbers. People swarmed the narrow streets, lined up on rooftops, showered floral petals on the open-top van and lustily cheered every word spoken by Dr. Reddy.
Terming Minister for Ports and Infrastructure Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao as his brother, he urged the people to vote Congress back to power. Ministers Kanna Lakshminarayana, Kasu Krishna Reddy, MLAs and district officials were present.
YSR lists achievements
Chief Minister launches various developmental projects
YSR inaugurates Rajiv Gruhakalpa Housing scheme
He also distributes cheques to SHG women
TENALI:
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Wednesday inaugurated the Rajiv Gruhakalpa Housing scheme at Vaikuntapuram here in the presence of elected representatives and senior Housing Board officials.
He also laid foundation stones to the comprehensive drinking water project to be laid at a cost of Rs.90 crores, developmental works with funding from IHSDP to be carried out in various slums at a cost of Rs.6.6 crores and opened the party office at Morrispet here. He also addressed an massive public meeting held opposite the municipal office here.
The Chief Minister, in a symbolic gesture, handed over a embossed key to district Collector B. Venkatesham. The housing project built in a G+3 scheme has 464 flats in six complexes.
He complimented local MLA Nadendla Manohar for taking the initiative in ensuring the completion of the houses and expressed the hope that the houses would be of great help to scores of poor people.
Public meet
Later, at a well-attended public meeting, Dr. Reddy appealed to the people to vote back the Congress to power and teach a lesson to the opposition parties.
He listed out developmental and welfare schemes like the Rajiv Arogyasri, the Indiramma Housing scheme, the monthly old-age pensions and said that only the Congress could strike a balance between development and welfare. He also distributed cheques to SHG women.
MSP for paddy
At Nizampatnam, dwelling on agriculture, the Chief Minister said that the credit for enhancing the MSP for paddy from Rs.580 to Rs.930 a quintal rested with the Congress Government as it was with the massive loan waiver to the tune of Rs.11,300 crores.
Earlier, he inaugurated a pylon marking the inauguration of Tsunami houses and Indiramma houses. Guntur Bishop Gali Bali was present.
YSR suffers a minor bruise
GOVADA (GUNTUR DT):
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy received a minor bruise on his head while he was climbing his open-top campaign vehicle during the Rajiv Palle Bata programme held on Wednesday.
The incident took place enroute Kuchipudi village when the Chief Minister was trying to climb the vehicle to address the crowd at a road side junction. His head rammed against an iron coated railing resulting in mild swelling.
Doctors following him in an ambulance rushed to the vehicle and applied a pain killer spray and gave some tablets. Later, the Chief Ministeraddressed a couple of roadside meetings before breaking for lunch at Kuchipudi.
India’s strength overcomes economic crisis, says YSR
Addresses students of Acharya Nagarjuna University
GUNTUR:
The economic crisis world over has not affected the Indian economy as it has its own strength of skilled human resource and knowledge base not only rescued it in time of crisis, but also will put it among the top of leading nations, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said.
Addressing Acharya Nagarjuna University students after formally laying foundation for engineering college and college of architecture and planning next to centre for distance education building on the campus, 3 hours behind schedule at 9.30 p.m. he exhorted them to put India in the forefront of world nations in all fields. He promised all support from State Government to facilitate their education and placements.
Engineering study, which was not within the reach of common man was made affordable, he said adding now convener quota seat was available for Rs.50,000 and Rs.30,000 for a merit quota seat.
Reminding the fee reimbursement and waiver for BCs implemented by the Congress Government, he promised to implement fee waiver even for the poor among forward castes from June-July 2009.
The activists of SFI and AISF shouted slogans while the CM was speaking from the podium demanding immediate sanctioning of fee reimbursement/payment.
They were, however, taken away from the meeting venue and in process an AISF leader Bhadranna received injuries close to eye and was taken to hospital by University authorities.
Public address system installed by the university failed three times forcing the Chief Minister to cut-short his speech and it finally ended at 10 p.m. The AISF students stopped the Rector’s car and forced him to go back into CDE building abandoning the car after the meeting.
Convention
At the Bible Mission Convention the Chief Minister said that at a time when entire world was hit by the terrorists’ violence, Christians were paying for the peace in the world and appreciated the Bible Mission for its efforts to organize such a convention for world peace.
The Convention convener J. Samuel Kiran praised the CM for his efforts to provide the welfare schemes to the people and desired he remained the Chief Minister for ever.
The preachers blessed the Chief Minister with special mass and Dr. Reddy spent about 35 minutes at the venue addressing the gathering. He unveiled the Rajiv Gruhakalpa houses and pPylon in Mangalagiri in addition to starting the JNNURM works at Gandhi Chowk.
Para-medics thank YSR
ANANTAPUR:
The Andhra Pradesh Community Para-Medics Welfare Association has thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for giving the assurance that the services of RMP and PMP doctors would be utilised for 108 and 104 services and also in Rajiv Arogyasri scheme.
‘YSR falters on promise to village servants’
KADAPA:
Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy failed to keep his promise to accord Class IV government employee status to village servants and to enhance their pay in phases, leaders of Opposition parties alleged on Wednesday. The State government remained nonchalant at the 38-day-long agitation of village servants, Telugu Desam Party district president S. Raghurami Reddy alleged. Advising the government to realise that village servants supplemented the efforts of the government, he deplored the apathy of the official machinery in not drawing the Chief Minister’s attention to the prolonged stir during his three-day tour of the district.
TDP leader Palem Srikanth Reddy alleged. TDP would regain power with the help of Communist parties in the ensuing elections and would concede the village servants’ demands, he asserted. The government was spending crores of rupees on putting flexiboards to publicise its programmes, but not hiking the pay of village servants, CPI (M) district secretary B. Narayana alleged. The government was enthusiastic in announcing a multi-crore package to bail out the scam-tainted Satyam Computer, but was lax in the village servants’ issue, he alleged.
YSR’s assurance to Mudiraj Sangham
KARIMNAGAR:
State Mudiraj Sangham Vice-president Nagesh Mudiraj said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had assured to issue a GO within 15 days including the Mudiraj community in the BC ‘A’ list from the existing BC ‘D’ group. He said a delegation met the Chief Minister in Hyderabad in this regard.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 