The much acclaimed country’s premier investigating agency, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), yet again nailed. Not by the Opposition, but by the apex Supreme Court.

In its verdict in former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) icon Mayawati’s disproportionate assets case, the apex court found fault with the CBI for exceeding its brief and reprimanded the agency. This had brought cheers in the Maya’s camp.

What is more important here is that the apex court’s serious observations on CBI’s style of functioning. It has found the CBI exceeding its brief. According to the honorable judges, who delivered the judgment, claimed that the CBI was directed only to confine its investigation to the Taj-corridor scam, while it went into other matters.

In other words, the judge’s observation is nothing short of saying ‘political objectives’ added to the investigation. The method adopted by the CBI is unwarranted and without jurisdiction,” the bench consisting of Justices P Sathasivam and Dipak Misra, observed.

They also made it clear that the apex court did not issue any direction to the CBI to conduct a roving inquiry against the assets of the petitioner (Mayawati) commencing from 1965 to 2003.

This landmark verdict of Supreme Court should give some hope even to the jailed YSRCP President and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. The AP High Court, which had taken into congnizance of a letter by then Congress MLA Dr Shankar Rao, as PIL had directed the CBI to investigate into allegations of alleged investments into Jagan’s media houses by some corporate as part of quid pro quo. But, it has stretched its brief, instead of confining to the directive of the AP High Court. Although, Jagan opposed it, reasons best known to the HC, choose to maintain stoic silence.

The CBI which is investigating into the Jagan’s DA case had clearly stretched its brief going into other aspects. As a matter of fact, it should strictly stick to the directive of High Court which directed it to find out whether the investments into Jagan’s media houses are of quid pro quo nature. Ironically, the land allotments to those Corporates which invested into Jagan’s publications were done by the then government headed by late Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy through 26 GOs.

While issuance of GOs was prerogative of the Cabinet, yet the CBI chose to gloss over this fact and instead choose ‘vindictive’ path somehow to nail the Kadapa MP Jagan, who is no way connected to the government’s decisions.

How can he be blamed or held responsible, when the GOs were cleared by then Cabinet headed by late Rajasekhara Reddy. Instead of probing the issuance of the said GOs as well as interrogating concerned ministers, who continue to occupy the chairs in Kiran Kumar Reddy government, the CBI choose to focus only on Jagan and selective investors,

Prima facie evidence clearly points the responsibility of land allotments to the Cabinet. Even in the case of EMAAR properties issue, the decision to allot the land was taken during the previous TDP regime. If the CBI wants to enlarge the scope of the investigation, the right course to place the findings of the investigations which should include naturally all those cabinet ministers responsible for the collective decision and the IAS officials responsible for issuing the GOs fully knowing its larger implications.

By the above criteria, the CBI has exposed itself to be acting under a predetermined plan to disqualify Jagan from the political scene of Andhra Pradesh.

In the wake of Supreme Court verdict in Mayawati case, none can rule out the possibility of the Supreme Court to reprimand the CBI, particularly in the context of documentary evidence of the collusion between the Joint Director CBI, Laxminarayana, and political rivals of Jagan both in the Congress and TDP camp.

Yet another significant issue that is being glossed over by his rivals is the fallout of keeping “Jagan” in jail. The longer Jagan is kept in the jail he will continue to gain sympathy from the people. After all, people are no longer fools and gullible. They too understand the reasons for the large scale corruption bred by the Congress Party from the High Command level.

Jagan’s mother, Vijayamma, and his sister, Sharmila, have both tasted success in their political foray. Even if Jagan is kept in jail, they are bound to go to the people and seek their fair verdict. Sentiment and sympathy is bound to roll in their favor. Whatever little chances of winning back Jagan to the Congress fold at a later stage will bounds to fade away.

Whichever way one looks at portends, the Congress party strategists, Mama Sakuni’s, are paving the way for self destruction of themselves and their party.
Finally, let none suffer from any illusions on the larger issue of ‘disproportionate assets”.

Almost all Congress Party and the BJP stalwarts are vulnerable to be booked under the “DA” label and sent to jail depending on who gains power in 2014 along with their cronies among the “Babus” and the CBI. Very few can come out clean!