The Supreme Court has lifted the bail condition that previously barred mining magnate Gali Janardhana Reddy from entering Bellary, Anantapur, and Kadapa districts. The ruling was made by a bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, allowing Reddy to visit his hometown with the stipulation that he notify the Superintendent of Police in Bellary before his arrival.
This modification comes after Reddy’s plea for relaxation of the bail conditions initially imposed by the Karnataka High Court in 2015. The Apex Court also urged the trial court to expedite proceedings in a case that has remained unresolved for over a decade.
Reddy’s counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued against the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) claims that his return to Bellary would jeopardize the trial, emphasizing that the delays in the proceedings were not due to Reddy’s actions. He questioned the fairness of his prolonged exclusion from his native area, stating, “Am I guilty for the six-year delay in the trial? Am I to suffer externment from Bellary forever?”
The CBI, represented by Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, raised concerns about Reddy’s influence as a “powerful man,” asserting that his presence in Bellary could intimidate witnesses, many of whom reside in the area. Divan pointed out that Reddy’s earlier bail was contingent on maintaining distance from Bellary to protect the integrity of the trial.
Gali Janardhana Reddy, who was arrested in 2011 as part of an illegal mining investigation, was granted conditional bail in 2015 with specific restrictions. Although he had previously applied multiple times to visit Bellary, the court consistently upheld the travel limitations.
Following this ruling, Reddy is now free to visit Bellary without prior court approval. He has become increasingly active in state politics since his release on bail in 2022, including forming the Kalyana Rajya Pragati Party, which later merged with the BJP in March 2024. Elected as an MLA from the Gangavati constituency, Reddy is expected to leverage this newfound freedom to influence local political dynamics.
