Illegal mining case: No bail for Bellary mining baron Reddy

A local court today dismissed an interim bail petition of the mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy seeking permission to visit Bellary in Karnataka to attend to his mother's death anniversary ceremony.

The Special Court judge for CBI cases in his orders said that he did not find it feasible and proper to release the petitioner (Janardhan Reddy) on bail under escort to go to Bellary.

The judge further noted that the release of the accused in the custody of the jail authorities or police is a great responsibility considering the security involved.

The situation would be entirely different if he is granted bail and released from jail and "here the release of (Janardhan Reddy) on bail with escort would certainly create a law and order situation at Bellary," the judge observed in his orders.

Reddy, lodged in the Chanchalguda jail here along with brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy since September 5 after being arrested by the CBI in connection with "illegal" mining case involving the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by him, filed an interim bail plea yesterday seeking permission to visit Bellary along with jail escort for two days to attend his mother's death anniversary ceremony on December 31.

The mining baron said in his bail plea that being in jail it would be unable for him to perform the rituals in connection with his mother's 12th death anniversary, which he has been regularly participating since 2000 and had been involved in religious and charity programmes organised on the occasion. However, the CBI strongly opposed Reddy's plea on apprehensions that he may flee.