Industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad Detained in Belgrade in VANPIC Case Involving Jagan Reddy

Hyderabad: Industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad, accused in an alleged disproportionate assets case against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been detained in Belgrade.

His counsel, Uma Maheswara Rao, informed a local CBI court about the development through a memo as Nimmagadda was supposed to return to India from his foreign tour on Friday.

According to CBI, Nimmagadda got nearly 24,000 acres of land from the Andhra Pradesh government in 2007-08 for the Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Port and Industrial Corridor (VANPIC) project, in return for investments made by him in Jagan's businesses. Jagan's father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was the chief minister at that time.

The Serbian police, on July 28, arrested the Indian businessman following a complaint by the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) government in connection with the case, sources said.

The Ras Al Khaimah government's entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had invested in the project. RAK is one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.

Nimmagadda was picked up by the Serbian police based on a request by the UAE government, on behalf of RAK, the sources said.

"We filed a memo intimating (the court) that he was detained by Serbian police at Belgrade on Sunday (July 28). We have also informed the CBI so that they can bring him to face the trial here," Rao told PTI.

As the accused industrialist is currently on bail and facing trial, he is supposed to inform the court about his international travel plans. Accordingly, he took the court's permission and left for Europe a few days ago.

"He (Nimmagadda) was supposed to intimate the court when he is coming back (from the foreign trip). He had already intimated his programme and declared that he was going to come back today," the businessman's counsel said.

"He is duty-bound to inform that he could not come back (as permitted by the court) as he was detained there. Also we are intimating the CBI so that they can take steps to bring him back to face the trial. So now the onus is on CBI to bring him back stating that he is required here," Rao said.

The CBI has also listed Jagan, among others, as accused in the case.