[Anil.HD]

Justice B. Chandra Kumar of the A.P. High Court on Wednesday rapped Jagathi Publications owned by Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and imposed costs of Rs.3 lakh. The judge also dismissed petitions filed by Jagan’s other two media houses – Janani and Indira TV.

The judge did not appreciate the attitude of these companies in not disclosing the correct facts regarding their bank accounts to the court. It may be recalled that the bank accounts of these three firms were frozen by the authorities. When writ petitions were filed complaining that the working of the media will be crippled, the judge granted interim orders on May 23.

The judge said that they should furnish bank guarantee and channel all the transactions through these three accounts.

The CBI informed the court that the petitioners were operating 19 other accounts at different locations. The judge termed the petitioners’ attitude as “most unfortunate”.

Source: The Hindu, 9 August 2012