HYDERABAD: As the state machinery gears up to ‘tackle’ the aftermath of the much anticipated arrest of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the next few days, more bad news came in the way of the Kadapa MP. The AP High Court on Wednesday rejected the petition filed by him for postponing his interrogation by the CBI to mid-June, after the byelections in the state are over. Now, Jagan will have to make himself available before the CBI on May 25 as summoned.Meanwhile, the state police, on Wednesday, clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 in Hyderabad from Thursday morning till May 29.Though the YSRC camp was overjoyed earlier in the day after the High Court lifted the freeze imposed on the bank accounts of Jagan’s media companies Jagathi Publications, Indira TV and Janani Infra, the jubilant mood did not last long with the court rejecting his petition for postponing the CBI interrogation.On Wednesday morning, the CBI served a notice on Jagan at a church in Guntur district ordering him to appear before the agency. The MP is currently campaigning for the forthcoming byelections. The move by the CBI is being seen as the penultimate step before his arrest.In fact, sources said, Jagan has been avoiding coming to Hyderabad over the last few days, anticipating arrest. “He was supposed to come to Hyderabad for a few hours on Tuesday and his travel plans were also finalised. But the visit was dropped in the last minute as it is anticipated that he could be arrested the moment he arrives in Hyderabad,” sources said.But now, as his arrival in Hyderabad on May 25 is inevitable, state police are preparing for a battle of sorts as intelligence inputs were pouring in that “anna’s” supporters are planning to “show their strength” post arrest.“Going by the mood of Jagan’s supporters over the last few months and his popularity among the people, trouble is expected, but we are fully geared to meet any challenge,” a senior police officer told Express. Intelligence sleuths too are working overtime, trying to further sniff the plans chalked out by Jagan’s supporters.After much deliberation with his higher-ups over the last few days, city police commissioner Anurag Sharma issued orders imposing section 144 in Hyderabad.Arrangements are also being made for the bandobust for Jagan’s convoy from Guntur to Hyderabad and sources said a thick security blanket would be thrown all along the route. It is likely that some roads may even be blocked to ensure smooth passage of the convoy, which is expected to comprise dozens of vehicles. Police officials are still wondering how to cut down the number of vehicles in the convoy. Director general of police V Dinesh Reddy said all precautionary measures have been taken for Jagan’s attendance before CBI on May 25. “The department is ready to face any kind of action on May 25,” he said.Simultaneously, CBI officials also spoke to Anurag Sharma to chalk out security plans for the CBI office in Koti, where Jagan will be questioned. “The CBI office will become a fortress on that day. Though the other venue, Dilkusha guest house where other VIPs are questioned by the CBI is also available, the CBI is unlikely to use it on that day as Raj Bhavan is located next door.Sources said police personnel drawn from various wings of the city police are being deployed in and around the CBI office and most of them would be armed.Once Jagan’s questioning by the CBI is through, the focus of police will shift to the Special CBI Court in Nampally, where the Kadapa MP is expected to present himself later. “The same security drill as at the CBI office will be repeated at the Nampally Criminal Courts complex too,” sources added.As part of the traffic restrictions being imposed, Anurag Sharma has also directed the traffic and law and order police to sanitise parking areas and roads in and around the High Court, City Civil Court, Nampally Criminal Courts, Secunderabad City Civil Courts and roads in Khairtabad, Raj Bhavan, Somajiguda, Panjagutta, Greenlands, Assembly, Tank Bund, Abids, Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills.Meanwhile, sources said the superintendents of police in the Rayalaseema region have been told to step up security at the houses of Congress party leaders. They have also been asked to keep a vigil on the properties belonging to former minister and MLA P Shanker Rao, who filed cases against Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
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