Jagan moves NCLT to cancel transfer of shares to sister Sharmila

Amaravati: The rift in the YSR family deepened with former chief minister and YSR Congress party President Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy filing a petition in NCLT, seeking an order to annul the transfer of shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Private Limited to his sister Y. S. Sharmila and mother Y. S. Vijayamma.

Jagan and his wife Bharati filed the petition in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Sharmila, and Vijayamma.

The petitioners urged the NCLT to cancel, annul and nullify the “illegal” transfer of shares in Saraswati Power Company, to Sharmila, Vijayamma and two other respondents. They argued that the shares were transferred “illegally” without complying with the sine qua provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 relating to the transfer of shares.

Stating that they played a significant role in the growth of Saraswati Power and Industries, the petitioners said they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 21, 2019, to allocate shares to Sharmila, Vijayamma and others.

The petitioners accused Sharmila, Vijayamma, and others of transferring shares illegally in violation of the MoU signed earlier.

“This transfer is clearly in derogation of the express understanding, intent, and text of the MoU and other documents exchanged between the parties.”

Jagan and Bharati stated in the petition that the share transfers, carried out through a Board resolution dated July 6, were done without submission of duly executed share transfer forms or the original share certificates, as required under Section 56 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Jagan also stated in his petition that there is no love left between him and his sister following a series of actions by the latter.

The petition, filed under Section 59 of the Companies Act, which deals with the rectification of the register of members, will come up for hearing at NCLT on November 8.

Janardhana Reddy Chagari, Yaswanthreddy Kethireddy, Registrar of Companies in Telangana and the Regional Director of South East Region have been named respondents.

The NCLT has issued notices to all respondents and scheduled the hearing on November 8.

The former chief minister also mentioned that his intention to transfer certain properties and shares to Sharmila, which was expressed in an MoU dated August 31, 2019, was based purely on love and affection. He, however, stated that he was immensely agonized by the turn of events. “Having realised that there is no love left between the two siblings, decided not to proceed with the transfer of shares/properties.”

Jagan mentioned in his plea that he originally intended to allocate shares to Sharmila as an expression of ‘sisterly affection’ but he withdrew the offer due to her recent political opposition to him.

“YS Sharmila conducted a series of actions that have deeply hurt me. These actions, coupled with untrue and false statements made publicly, have been politically opposed to me and have caused deep personal disrepute,” Jagan said.

Sharmila has been “targeting” her brother ever since she joined the Congress early this year and was appointed APCC president. She unsuccessfully contested from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency against YSRCP candidate and her cousin Y. S. Avinash Reddy in the recent elections.

During the election campaign, Sharmila had launched an all-out attack on her brother blaming him for the murder of their uncle and former minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy. She had urged people to defeat Jagan and his party.

Sharmila also claimed that Jagan started ignoring her after becoming the chief minister in 2019. She also accused him of denying her share in the family property.

Jagan and Sharmila are children of the late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), who was chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh between 2004 and 2009.

After YSR died in a helicopter crash and subsequent developments, Jagan quit the Congress and floated the YSR Congress. Sharmila was with the YSR Congress and actively campaigned for her brother in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

However, differences cropped up between the siblings after Jagan became the chief minister with a landslide victory in 2019.

Sharmila entered politics in Telangana by floating the YSR Telangana Party in 2021. In January this year, she merged her party with Congress and was made president of the party’s Andhra Pradesh unit.