In fresh trouble for former minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, the special court for cases involving MPs/MLAs has ordered filing of a criminal case against him and others in an illegal mining and export case.
Special court judge J Preeth directed registration of a criminal case for offences punishable under the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulations Act and to issue summons to Reddy and 15 others.
The court passed this order on the private complaint filed by a senior officer of the Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the state government to probe certain illegal mining cases. The private complaint was filed on April 10, 2023.
The other accused include Reddy’s close confidant Mehfouz Ali Khan, former MLA B Nagendra and four mining companies – Devi Enterprises Company, Madhushree Enterprises, Eagle Traders and Logistics, Tredent Minerals and Tredent Mining Company Pvt Ltd.
It was alleged in the complaint that between January 2008 and April 2011, the accused indulged in theft of 13.43 lakh tonnes iron ore belonging to the government by creating false invoices and documents.
According to the SIT, the loss caused to the state government was estimated at Rs 210 crore by evasion of royalty, forest transit pass and other taxes.
“Prima-facie case is made out against the accused from materials placed before me,” the judge said.
(Published 17 April 2023, 19:19 IST)
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