Instead of Vaishno Devi, Kattas head for prison

Bangalore Mirror

Bangalore, 09 August 2011:  A special Lokayukta court rejected the bail pleas of former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and his corporator son, Jagadish Katta in corruption cases related to the KIADB land scam on Monday. Immediately after judge Sudhindra Rao pronounced his verdict, Katta Naidu developed the inevitable ‘chest pain’ which afflicts most politicians when a judgment goes against them.

 

However, this time the pain may have been genuine. For, so confident were the Kattas of obtaining bail, that they had booked airline tickets for a trip to Vaishno Devi on Monday evening, to render thanks to god. The Kattas instead had to undertake a shorter road journey — to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. They, along with S V Srinivasan, the MD of Itasca Software which was allotted land by the KIADB, were remanded in judicial custody until August 22. 

 

This is the first time Katta Naidu is going to jail, but Jagadish is familiar with the insides of the central jail, having already spent a couple of months there. 

“We have made regular visits to Vaishno Devi ever since our troubles began,” Jagadish Katta told Bangalore Mirror. “We were quite sure that we would be granted bail and had planned a trip to Vaishno Devi. We had booked tickets on a 4 pm flight to Delhi. But that plan has gone for a toss. I was shocked to hear the verdict. I don’t mind going to jail, I’ve already been there once before. But what about my father? Why should he go to jail? He has not done anything wrong. Even god has let us down,” said Jagadish, with tears in his eyes.

 

Courtroom drama:

The court proceedings were not without drama. Katta Naidu made a delayed entry in court, so much so that even the judge was kept waiting. During court cases, Katta usually sits in his car in the parking lot on the first floor rather than in the court hall. When court begins proceedings, Jagadish calls his father on the phone and only then Katta Naidu appears in court. On Monday too, he was in his car when the judge asked the seven accused in the case to take the dock. However, court staff had to call Katta’s name several times before the former minister made his appearance — a full 12 minutes later. Judge Sudhindra then called for a 30-minute recess before reconvening court and announcing his verdict. Of the seven accused in the scam, four were granted bail.

 

Father, son break down:

The verdict went hard against Katta Naidu. The wily politician, who resigned from the BS Yeddyurappa in December last year, stood clutching his chest for almost half-an-hour after the verdict. He was treated by doctors in the courtroom. 

 

Meanwhile, Jagadish Katta, who was seen merrily chatting on the phone, with officers of the court and others before proceedings began, burst into a flood of tears.  

 

Katta senior was at first stoic, but he too broke into tears in the afternoon. He sat motionless in a chair for hours. Even when he was summoned to the dock, he stood just outside before returning to his seat. The Kattas had to remain in court well after the verdict as the judge completed other formalities. Even when court reconvened at 3 pm, a mistake was detected in the warrant served on the Kattas and the proceedings were delayed again. They were finally hauled off to jail at around 4.30 pm under tight security.

 

From 2G to Kattas:

On hearing that the bail plea was rejected, Kattas’ lawyer, CV Nagesh, who was away in Delhi appearing on behalf of Mukesh Ambani in the 2G spectrum case, flew in to the city. He returned to Bangalore at around 5.30 pm and straight away began work on drafting a bail plea in the high court. The case is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday. If the plea is rejected, the Kattas will have to celebrate Vara Mahalakshmi Pooja on Friday inside jail. BJP leader C T Ravi and a few other politicians also met with Nagesh.

 

What’s in store: 

The Kattas, however, are likely to have a fairly comfortable time in jail. Both will be given separate cells — newly constructed rooms, furnished with a TV, a cot, a fan and other facilities. The court also allowed Katta Naidu to have access to a doctor in the jail itself. “They will have home-made food and will be allowed to use their phones. All the facilities which Jagadish had would be given to his father also,” a source in the jail said. Katta senior is also likely to be attended by a person close to him. Incidentally, he was checked by a doctor in jail and was found well.