CBI moves HC for govt consent to attach Janardhana Reddy's properties

The CBI has moved a petition before the High Court seeking a direction to the state government to consider its representation for attachment of properties held by former minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his family members.

The petition said that the government had kept the CBI’s requisition pending since August 30, 2022.

The CBI had filed the charge sheet against Janardhana Reddy and others in 2013, stating that the accused had indulged in large-scale illegal mining in Ballari and surrounding areas.

The charge sheet said the accused had caused a loss of Rs 198 crore to the state exchequer by way of illegal export of iron ore to the extent of 6.05 metric tonnes (MT).

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The CBI had initially filed a representation in 2015 with the state government, seeking consent to attach the properties of the accused persons.

Pursuant to the consent dated June 16, 2015, the CBI had filed a petition before the CBI special court. Though the petition was filed on July 1, 2015, it was pending before the court till March 2022, the petition said.

The CBI stated that at the time of its petition before the special court, the properties held by Janardhana Reddy and his family members were valued at Rs 65.05 crore.

The agency claimed that in a continued effort, 219 more properties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been traced, which are valued at Rs 17.14 crore.

“Having found out the properties being held by the 1st accused (Reddy) and the companies connected to him in the State of Andhra Pradesh and State of Telangana, which are either proceeds of crime or equivalent part of the value of the proceeds of crime, it is submitted that the petitioner herein gave a representation to the state of Karnataka seeking approval of the respondent to seek for attachment of the properties of the 1st accused and his family members,” the petition stated.

The petitioner stated that the accused had started disposing of certain properties held by him and his family members at Kurnool, Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.

The CBI said it gave a representation to the district registrar, Ranga Reddy district to abstain from registering any documents in respect of the properties being sought to be attached.