The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Telangana High Court seeking faster proceedings in nine money-laundering cases involving YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and several other accused.
The agency has asked the High Court to direct the trial court to hear the matters on a day-to-day basis and ensure the personal appearance of the accused.
ED says some of the cases have remained at the preliminary discharge stage for nearly a decade despite the special court having already taken cognisance of the prosecution complaints.
FCRF Launches CP-FRM to Build India’s Next Generation of Fraud Risk Professionals
Nine ED Complaints Still Await Trial
The nine prosecution complaints were filed before the Special Court for CBI Cases at Nampally in Hyderabad between 2016 and 2021.
According to ED, discharge petitions filed by the accused were heard but have remained undecided because of transfers of presiding officers and other procedural delays.
As a result, the underlying money-laundering cases have not substantially progressed toward trial.
The agency filed its writ petition before the Telangana High Court on September 23, 2026.
ED has invoked the principle of speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution and argued that the prolonged delay requires judicial intervention.
Cases Stem From Alleged Quid Pro Quo Investments
The money-laundering investigation traces back to a CBI case registered following directions from the then Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The CBI case alleged that several companies and individuals received government benefits during the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy’s father, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who served as Andhra Pradesh chief minister.
Investigators alleged that some of those companies subsequently invested in businesses linked to Jagan and his family.
The allegations have commonly been described as a quid pro quo arrangement, where investments were allegedly made in exchange for government favours.
These are allegations contained in the investigative cases and have not resulted in convictions against Jagan in the pending matters.
ED Names Several Corporate Investments
According to ED, companies including Aurobindo Pharma, Hetero Drugs, Indu Projects, Indu Techzone, Lepakshi Knowledge Hub, VANPIC Projects, VANPIC Ports, Ramky Pharma City and India Cements were among entities whose investments were examined.
The agency alleges that some companies subscribed to shares at unusually high premiums in businesses linked to Jagan.
Recipient companies cited by ED include Bharati Cement Corporation, Jagati Publications and Janani Infrastructure.
The agency’s PMLA cases were built on the alleged proceeds generated from the predicate offences investigated by the CBI.
ED Wants Personal Appearance of Accused
Apart from seeking daily hearings, ED has also asked the High Court to require the accused to personally appear during proceedings.
The agency argues that long delays have prevented meaningful progress even though cognisance was taken years ago.
Its petition asks the High Court to expedite both the pending discharge applications and the underlying prosecution complaints.
A discharge petition allows an accused to argue that there is insufficient legal basis to proceed to trial.
Until those applications are decided, the cases cannot move fully into the evidence and trial stage.
Supreme Court Observations Cited by Agency
ED has also referred to earlier Supreme Court observations in litigation involving Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The agency cited the court’s view that economic offences involving deep-rooted conspiracies and substantial loss of public funds may require a different approach because of their broader effect on the economy and financial system.
That reference does not amount to a finding of guilt in the present money-laundering cases.
ED is relying on it to support its argument that prolonged delays in serious economic-offence cases should be avoided.
Cases Have Been Pending for Years
Jagan has faced multiple CBI and ED proceedings since 2011 over alleged disproportionate assets and investments made in companies associated with him.
The investigations have generated several separate charge sheets and prosecution complaints involving different companies and transactions.
The present High Court petition does not introduce a new money-laundering allegation.
Its significance lies in ED asking the judiciary to accelerate cases that have remained largely at the preliminary stage despite having been filed years earlier.
The Telangana High Court will now have to decide whether to issue directions on the pace of proceedings and the personal appearance of the accused.
What this means for you
The development does not mean Jagan Mohan Reddy has been convicted or that a fresh corruption case has been filed. ED is asking the Telangana High Court to speed up nine existing money-laundering cases that it says have remained stalled at the discharge stage for years.
Follow for daily updates on cybercrime, corporate fraud, DFIR, hacking, investigations, and digital forensics
