Jagan not involved in knife attack, case transferred to NIA

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s advocate I. Venkateswarlu on Wednesday charged that to dilute the case of knife attack on Jagan at the Visakhapatnam Airport in 2019, a section of the media is deliberately spreading false messages giving a new twist to the case.

Venkateswarlu maintained that the knife attack case had been to the Visakhapatnam NIA court based on a GO passed by the central government. The state government had no role in it. Moreover, he said the chargesheet had been filed without collecting any evidence.

Addressing the media in Vijayawada on Wednesday, the CM’s advocate said the attack had been totally pre-planned. But luckily, Jagan Mohan Reddy was alert and could escape without a major injury. He maintained that as part of diluting the case, news was also spread that the attack involved a Kodi Katti.

Venkateswarlu asserted that in fact, the attacker Srinivas used a very sharp edged weapon. The attacker had also had a criminal history. An FIR against Srinivas is still pending against him since 2017.

The CM’s advocate pointed out that NIA has questioned 39 witnesses in the attempt to murder Jagan case. But till now, the SIT, which inquired into the case, has not handed over details of the case to the NIA.

Venkateswarlu alleged that accused Srinivas had been hired by the Visakhapatnam Airport Authority on basis of a false report that the accused has no criminal background.

He maintained that Jagan Mohan Reddy had been attacked according to a well-organised plan in 2019. As the NIA has said, the advocate underlined that the attack had been an attempt to assassinate Jagan.