Hyderabad: The Special Court for CBI cases at Nampally, Hyderabad, on Wednesday decided to hear Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases against Andhra Pradesh former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on a regular basis.The court is already conducting regular hearings in cases against Jagan probed by the CBI.The decision comes shortly after the ED approached Telangana high court seeking directions for a speedy, day-to-day trial and Jagan’s personal appearance in all ED cases, including nine against him.During the hearing on Oct 7, the high court questioned the agency’s reliance on Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, to seek a speedy trial.“How can the department invoke Article 21? Moreover, when a division bench has already passed orders (to monitor these cases), how can there be another petition?” observed a division bench of Acting Chief Justice P Sam Koshy and Justice Narsing Rao Nandikonda. The matter was posted for hearing along with two connected petitions.The trial court decided to take up the ED cases regularly after considering requests from both the agency and Jagan’s counsel for their early disposal. Nine ED cases have been pending before the court for nearly a decade.Jagan has been seeking an early conclusion of the proceedings, with his counsel urging day-to-day hearings. The court, however, issued no specific direction requiring his personal appearance. His counsel maintained that the request was limited to a speedy trial and early disposal of the pending cases.Meanwhile, the court on Wednesday heard Jagan’s discharge petitions in ED cases involving alleged quid pro quo arrangements linked to Aurobindo Pharma and Hetero Drugs.His counsel argued that the cases were not maintainable and that there was no substantial evidence to support the allegations.
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