As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) began grilling of Minister for Excise and Prohibition Mopidevi Venkataramana in connection with the illegal assets case of YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, speculations are rife that he might be arrested after the investigation.

Mopidevi came to Dilkusha guest house on Wednesday morning to face the CBI interrogation. He was holding the portfolio of Infrastructure and Ports during the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy regime, when the controversial agreement with Matrix Prasad and Ras Al Khaimah to set up mega port and infrastructure project VANPIC in Guntur and Prakasam districts. The minister reportedly played instrumental role in the agreement and also allotment of lands to the project.

It is believed that the CBI has gathered enough evidences to nail the minister. And if necessary, it might arrest the minister to get more information.

“The arrest of the minister might also be a ploy of the CBI before arresting Jaganmohan Reddy, so that it can claim it is not sparing anybody but is going independently,” sources said.