SC allows mining baron Janardhana Reddy to visit Bellary in Karnataka

The bench directed the special court to conduct trial on a day-to-day basis and complete the whole exercise in six months

The Supreme Court on Monday permitted former Karnataka minister and BJP leader Gali Janardhana Reddy, an accused in illegal mining case, to visit Bellary and stay over there till November 6 in order to meet his daughter, who recently gave birth to a baby girl.

The top court also noted that it is very unfortunate that even after 11 years of filing the FIR and despite the observations made by this court directing the trial to be expedited, it has not begun due to filing of one application after another by the accused.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari directed the special court to conduct trial on a day-to-day basis and complete the whole exercise in six months from November 9, 2022.

"It is always in the larger interest that the trial is concluded at the earliest. Early conclusion of the trial would enhance the faith of people in justice delivery system. The trial must come to its logical end at the earliest," the bench said.

It also directed Reddy to remain out of Bellary till the trial is completed.

The top court said any attempt on the part of Reddy to delay the trial should be dealt with iron hands.

"More the delay, more the possibilities of influencing the witnesses...now, a direction is to be issued to the trial court to begin the trial on day to day basis and once the trial begins the applicant – accused may be restrained from entering into the Districts of Bellary in Karnataka and Ananthapuram and Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh looking to the strong apprehension on the part of the CBI," the bench said.

The court also directed the trial court to examine witnesses from the three districts first during the trial.

Reddy, accused in a multi-crore illegal mining case, has been out on bail since January 21, 2015. The court had imposed several conditions in its order, including barring him from visiting Bellary in Karnataka and Ananthapuram and Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy had sought permission to visit Bellary to meet his daughter after delivery of baby girl.

Reddy 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 Bellary and brought to Hyderabad.

The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Bellary Reserve Forest area, spread over Karnataka and the Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh.