Published Apr 13, 2023 | 9:54 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 13, 2023 | 9:55 PM
Jagan Mohan was supposed to appear before the court on 10 April but he did not appear, citing previously-scheduled programmes. (Twitter)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which was investigating the attack on Andhra Pradesh and YSRCP chief Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Visakhapatnam airport five years ago, when he was an Opposition leader, has clarified that there was no conspiracy behind the attack.
In a counter-petition filed before the special court for NIA cases in Vijayawada, the probe agency said that airport restaurant owner Harshavardhan was not linked to the incident.
It also said that the key accused, J Srinivasa Rao, who was nabbed for attacking Jagan Mohan, was not a sympathiser of the TDP.
The NIA said this in the counter-petition filed before the court after a petition was filed by Jagan seeking a deeper probe into the incident, popularly known as the “Kodi Kathi” case.
The premier investigating agency also requested the court to dismiss the petition filed by Jagan.
The NIA said there was no need for further investigation into the case as the court had already taken it up for hearing.
Based on a request from Jagan’s advocates, who are seeking more time to present their arguments, the court posted the matter for Monday.
Jagan was supposed to appear before the court on 10 April but he did not do so, citing previously-scheduled programmes.
He requested the court to exempt him from personal appearance and permit him to record evidence through an advocate commissioner.
During the previous hearing, the court directed him to appear before it in person.
He sustained stab injuries to the arm when Srinivasa Rao attacked him with a Kodi Kathi — a knife used in rooster fights — in October 2018.
His security personnel restrained Rao and handed him over to the police. He was a contract employee at the airport.
