Former excise minister Mopidevi Venkataramana is said to have been upset over the CBI holding him individually responsible for decisions taken by the Cabinet in the Vadarevu Nizampatnam Port Indu-strial Corridor project.
After being in the CBI custody for more than 24 hours at the makeshift office of the CBI in Dilkusha Guest House, he appeared highly demoralised and dazed.
Sources said Mr Venkataramana was deeply hurt over the CBI’s accusation that he misled the Cabinet to extend favours to the promoters of Vanpic.
When he sought to justify the GOs and concession agreement, which he said had the approval of the Cabinet, the CBI team snubbed him saying that the Cabinet was misled and he got the Cabinet note prepared hiding several provisions that were incorporated in the concession agreement in favour of the developers.
The CBI, however, asked him to choose either to stay in the guest house during the judicial custody or go back to Chanchalguda prison in the night. Meanwhile, tourism and sports minister Vatti Vasanthkumar called on Mopidevi at the guest house and extended moral support to him.