Janardhana Reddy, a former minister accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case and is out on conditional bail. He had requested the supreme court to seek modifications of the conditions prohibiting him from visiting Ballari in Karnataka and Ananthapur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday opposed former minister and tainted mining baron ‘Gali Janardhana Reddy’ from visiting his home district of Ballari.
This development came as the Supreme Court sought CBI’s response on a plea by former Reddy seeking modification of the bail conditions directing him not to visit home town Ballari.
Madhavi Divan, Additional Solicitor General appearing for the CBI prays for and is allowed two weeks’ further time to file an additional affidavit. Rejoinder, if any, be filed within a week thereafter. List thereafter said a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and R Subhash Reddy. During the brief hearing, Divan opposed Reddy’s plea saying that he should not be allowed to visit district Bellary in Karnataka as he holds considerable influence and might interfere with the investigation.
“He has led multiple petitions, witnesses under police protection have been threatened and vehicles have been set on fire. Over 40 witnesses are there. We do not know what will happen if this gentleman is allowed to enter the area,” the law officer said.
Janardhana Reddy was granted conditional bail by the apex court in January 2015 after spending more than three years in jail. He and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of the Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011, from Ballari and brought to Hyderabad.
The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari in Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
