Rediff.com's Mohammed Siddique reporting from outside the Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad says slogans of 'Jai Jagan' pierced the the air as YSR Congress party leader Jaganmohan Reddy walked to freedom after 16 months in jail.

Reddy left the jail for his home 'Lotus Pond' at Jubilee Hills in a bullet proof Scorpio, even as the police found it difficult to keep thousands of supporters at bay.

The police had ensured adequate security arrangements as emotions among supporters were at its peak. YSR Cong MLAs were among those who waited outside the jail for several hours.

Though the CBI court had granted him bail yesterday, completion of formalities delayed his release till this afternoon.

Jagan's cousins -- Avinash Reddy and Yeshwant Reddy -- furnished the two securities of Rs 2 lakh each in the CBI court this morning.

After the court accepted them, Jagan's lawyer Ashok Reddy and an employee of the court took the orders of Jagan's release to Chanchalguda jail after lunch.