YSR Congress party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Chandrababu Naidu government, alleging that the controversial Parakamani case at Tirumala is being deliberately resurrected for political vendetta despite having been settled through a judicial process years ago.
Addressing media persons, Jagan described the Parakamani controversy as a “case built on astonishing exaggeration,” claiming that the accused had allegedly misappropriated only nine US dollars, yet had surrendered assets worth Rs 14 crore to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) as part of the repentance-based settlement.
He said that once the accused was identified, a criminal case was filed, a chargesheet was submitted before the Tirupati court, and the matter was disposed of in the Mega Lok Adalat.
“After completion of judicial proceedings, the government is now dragging the case back into the public domain solely for political mileage,” he alleged.
Jagan further said the accused clerk had worked for years in Parakamani operations and was attached to the Jeeyar Mutt for several years.
Recalling his own government’s reforms, he asserted that the YSRCP administration made Tirumala’s hundi counting fully transparent by installing CCTV cameras at every counting point.
“When we create a transparent system in Tirumala, how can that become a charge against us?” he asked.
The former chief minister accused the current dispensation of driving the accused to death.
“Is it a crime to catch a thief who is engaged in stealing? Turning that into an allegation against us is nothing but political manipulation,” he said.
Turning to earlier temple-related thefts, Jagan reminded that during Chandrababu Naidu’s previous tenure, a major theft had occurred at Simhachalam temple.
He alleged that even though Naidu had revealed on 1 September that temple employees Ramana and Suresh were responsible, both were granted station bail and let off.
“Why were they not arrested and sent to jail? Why was a full investigation not conducted? Why were their assets not seized?” he asked.
He questioned why Simhachalam temple trustee Ashok Gajapathi Raju was never interrogated.
“Is there one standard of justice for Subba Reddy and another for Ashok Gajapathi Raju?” Jagan asked, accusing the ruling coalition of selective action guided by political bias.
