JOIN USThe Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the slow pace of investigation against former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy in the illegal mining case involving his Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
A bench of Justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde warned that it would not allow indefinite incarceration of Reddy without a trial after it was pointed out that he has been in jail for over two and half years. The court said that the CBI should have by now completed the probe.
“In the name of completing investigation, how many months is he going to remain inside? It just cannot go on and on. A citizen cannot remain jailed without a trial only because the probe agency wants to keep filing supplementary charge sheets,” the bench told Additional Solicitor General Paras Kuhad, representing the CBI.
The law officer submitted the case required further investigation. The bench was, however, not convinced.
“How many months and years can this be allowed to go on,” the bench asked the counsel, observing in a democratic set up, a person cannot be allowed to remain inside the jail for years without a trial. The bench adjourned the matter for March 28, while hoping the CBI would complete its investigation by then.