JOIN USSC rejects Reddy's plea to permanently stay in Ballari
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea by mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy to allow him to permanently live in his home district of Ballari.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan declined a request made by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi on behalf of Reddy.
The counsel sought modification of January 21, 2015, order whereby the apex court had granted him bail but with conditions that he would not visit Ballari, Anantapur and Kadapa.
He said since no charges have been framed so far in the matter and trial would take long time to complete, Reddy, now living in Bengaluru, should be permitted to reside in Ballari as his family members are living there.
He also submitted that the petitioner was away from his home district for about six years.
Rohatgi also said the case involving Obulapuram Mining Company could not proceed further as the issue pertaining to determination of boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to ascertain the extent of illegality of iron ore extraction was still pending before the apex court.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the CBI, strongly opposed the plea, contending the trial could not proceed in view of dilatory tactics by the petitioner.
He also cited the case wherein Reddy was accused of bribing a judge to secure bail.
Festival visit allowed
The court had last year allowed Reddy to go to Ballari a
number of times including on festivals of Dasara and Deepavali.
The court had in 2015 granted bail to Reddy in an illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company after the CBI did not oppose his plea.
Bail condition
The court had then directed Reddy to cooperate in
the smooth process of trial and appear before CBI special
court in Hyderabad, trying the case. It ordered Reddy to furnish two sureties of Rs 10 lakh each as condition for bail.
Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director of OMC, were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011.