Karnataka illegal mining case: SC grants bail to prime accused GJ Reddy

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today granted bail to mining baron and former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, who is an accused in the illegal mining case involving his Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC). The apex court granted bail after CBI submitted that the investigation in the case involving Reddy is complete and both the charge sheet as well as the supplementary charge sheet have been filed. Taking on record the submission of the agency, a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said, “Since investigating agency has no objection in granting bail, we are granting bail to the petitioner (Reddy).” The bench also comprising justices AK Sikri and Arun Mishra also noted the submission of Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh and Reddy’s counsel Dushyant Dave that he has been in jail for around four years. [caption id=“attachment_2055183” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Reddy being arrested. Reuters image[/caption] While granting bail, the bench imposed certain conditions including that Reddy will be released from jail on furnishing two sureties of Rs 10 lakh each and that he shall not leave the country without the permission of the court while directing him to surrender his passport. The bench further said that he should not in any way try to influence the witnesses or tamper with evidence. Reddy had moved the apex court in 2013 challenging the High Court’s decision to reject his bail petition. He is facing several criminal cases and was lodged in a jail in Andhra Pradesh. He was arrested in 2011. Janardhan Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director of OMC, were arrested by CBI on 5 September, 2011 from Bellary in Karnataka and brought to Hyderabad. In the OMC case, the company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Bellary Reserve Forest area, spread over Bellary in Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. PTI