The Central Bureau of Investigation’s petition seeking cancellation of YSR Congress party chief Jaganmohan Reddy’s bail in an illegal assets case was dismissed by a special CBI court in Hyderabad on Friday, PTI reported. The court also allowed Reddy’s plea seeking permission to go to New Zealand on a holiday with his family for 15 days between May and June.

On March 28, the CBI had sought the cancellation of Reddy’s bail on the grounds that he had tried to influence prosecution witnesses. The agency had told the Hyderabad court that the politician had knowingly defied a bail condition by publishing and telecasting an interview of a prosecution witness. The Jaganmohan Reddy-controlled Jagathi publications – through its Saakshi TV channel and newspaper – had published and aired former IAS officer P Ramakanth Reddy’s interview, in which he made a comment about the quality of the investigation.

Reddy, however, said he had nothing to do with the interview. “Sakshi had conducted the interview as part of its professional duty,” Reddy had said according to Hindustan Times. “All that Ramakanth Reddy had stated was in response to various questions asked by the correspondent.”

After hearing out both the sides, the court ruled in favour of Reddy. The YSR Congress cheif was present in the court on Friday.

In June 2016, the Enforcement Directorate had said that it had attached property worth nearly Rs 2,500 crore owned by the YSR Congress leader. The agency had launched an inquiry under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after a CBI chargesheet that accused Reddy of criminal conspiracy. The ED’s investigation had revealed that several investments were made in his company after his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy was made the chief minister in 2004.

ED had added that Jaganmohan Reddy had also helped the company – Bharathi Cements – acquire a mining licence and received limestone from illegally allotted land in Kadapa. His wife YS Bharathi Reddy is the chairperson of the company.