Hyderabad, Jan 20: Under instructions of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S Rajasekhara Reddy, a Government Order (GO) was passed to allot 50 acres of land to Satyam Computer Services in Visakhapatnam for developing an IT Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Reddy had earlier denied giving any political patronage to former Satyam Chairman, B Ramalinga Raju.

He told a TV channel that Raju had already become very big before he became Chief Minister.

Raju received protection under his predecessor Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, he added.

Hyderabad, Jan 19 : The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday rejected a revision petition filed by Satyam Computer Services former Chairman B. Ramalinga Raju against his police custody.

The petition was dismissed by divisional bench comprising Justices Seethapathi and Swarupa Rani.

Ramalinga Raju, his brother Rama Raju and company''s Chief Financial Officer Vadlamani Srinivas moved the High Court this morning. They were formally taken into police custody for four days and were grilled by Crime Investigation Department (CID) sleuths.

New Delhi, Jan 19 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy met Union Minister of Water Resources Prof. Saifuddin Soz here today, and discussed the Pollavaram Multipurpose Project for which a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting is to be held tomorrow.

Reddy informed Soz that clearances from the environment, forest and wild life, and Tribal Affairs Ministries has been obtained. Soz assured Reddy that his ministry would provide all help and cooperation.

Hyderabad, Jan. 18 : Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K. Rosiah on Sunday said that the Central Government is actively probing the fraud case involving software major Satyam Computer Services.

"The Government of India is actively looking into all these things. Their agencies are more capable of looking into all these aspects. Government of India is alert to the happenings, yesterday Prime Minister himself said that the fall of Satyam company has brought disrepute to this country. So, let the Government of India do its exercise, state government also will have its own method," said Rosaiah.

Hyderabad, Jan 16 : The Hyderabad court on Friday fixed January 19 as the next date for hearing the bail plea of Satyam Computer''s former Chairman Ramalinga Raju.

An order on police custody has been reserved for Saturday.

The plea was heard before the Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court here.

On January 12, the court had deferred the hearing of the bail plea of Ramalinga Raju, his brother Rama Raju and company''s Chief Financial Officer Vadlamani Srinivas till today.

All are in judicial custody till January 23 and have been lodged in the Chanchalguda Central Prison.

Hyderabad, Jan. 12 : Uttar Pradesh fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mumbai''s star batters Rohit Sharma and Abhishek Nayar stole the limelight on the first day of the five-day Ranji Trophy final on Monday.

While Kumar captured his first five wicket haul in a final, Sharma rode his his luck to score an unbeaten 113. He was ably assisted by all-rounder Nayar, who fell one short of a well-deserved century.

Kumar stole the thunder from much more illustrious names and in-form players in the morning by reducing Mumbai to 55 for four, including consigning batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar to his first first-class duck in Indian domestic cricket.