HYDERABAD: Mopidevi Venkata Ramana may have been remanded in judicial custody till June 7, but he is lucky enough not to land in the Chanchalguda central prison, at least for the next five days.He would be a ‘guest’ at the Dilkusha guesthouse, but would have to face grilling from the CBI for eight hours a day. Soon after remanding Venkata Ramana in judicial custody till June 7, principal special judge A Pullaiah took up the CBI petition for seven day of the minister. The judge agreed for five-day custody and spelt down the conditions, which include that Venkata Ramana should be brought from the prison in the morning for questioning and taken back in the evening.However, Venkata Ramana’s counsel sought the permission of the court to allow the arrested minister to be put up at the CBI office throughout the five-day custody. The counsel argued that shifting from the prison daily would cause unnecessary stress to his client and also public disturbance.The judge agreed to the counsel’s prayer and asked the CBI to take custody of Venkata Ramana on Friday morning, but the minister’s counsel said the CBI can take custody straight away from the court and produce him before the court after the custody period.Giving custody of Venkata Ramana, the Judge asked the CBI to question him only from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm. The custody period would be counted from May 25 and end on May 29. The accused should not be subjected to third degree methods and the questioning should be done in the presence of two advocates. However, the judge made it clear that the advocates would not intervene in the interrogation. “Their presence is only to ensure that the accused is not subjected to third degree method,” the judge said.The judge asked the CBI to produce Venkata Ramana before the court on May 30 at 10.30 am. The CBI told the court that Venkata Ramana would be lodged at their multi-dimensional investigation office at Dilkusha guesthouse and not at the agency’s Koti office.Earlier, Venkata Ramana was brought to the court amid tight security around 4.45 pm. Though appeared a little pensive, he tried to maintain his composure and answered to the judge’s queries. A few of his family members and supporters came to the court and waited for the orders attentively.
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