By IANS,
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy Tuesday said she would abide by the Congress leadership’s decision on continuing in the cabinet.
Reddy was named as an accused in YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets case Monday.
Amid speculations that she would resign, Sabitha Reddy told reporters that she would follow the direction of the party leadership. She added that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy advised her not to quit.
She said that she would fight a legal battle after going through the charge sheet. In her first reaction to the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), she denied any wrongdoing.
The home minister claimed that she acted in a transparent manner and in accordance with the rules while issuing a government order. She claimed that she had not benefited from the order.
In its fifth charge sheet filed in the case on Monday, the CBI had named Sabitha Reddy as the fourth accused in a list of 13.
As a minister of mines and geology in the then Rajasekhara Reddy’s cabinet, Sabitha Sabitha had allotted limestone mines in Kadapa district to Dalmiya Cements, which allegedly made investments into the companies of Jaganmohan Reddy, the son of then chief minister.
The CBI believes it was one of the quid pro quo deals, under which the YSR government showed undue favours to companies and individuals who invested in his son’s businesses.
The CBI has charged her with cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and misuse of office.
Several ministers called on Sabitha Reddy to extend their support. They advised her not to act in haste by submitting the resignation.
Meanwhile, the CBI filed a memo in a special court here Tuesday, seeking court warrants against the accused, including Sabitha Reddy.
Main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Tuesday demanded Sabitha Reddy’s resignation. TDP MP N. Nageswara Rao said if the minister failed to resign, the governor should sack her.