Illegal mining: CBI to further question Reddys

The CBI told a special court that it wants to further interrogate former K`taka mins Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivas Reddy.

Hyderabad: The CBI on Thursday told a special
court that it wants to further interrogate former Karnataka
minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law B V
Srinivas Reddy, arrested in connection with alleged illegal
mining activities, saying they did not cooperate during their
earlier questioning.

As the case came up for hearing today after repeated
adjournments, CBI deputy legal advisor B Ravindranath sought
custody of Janardhana and Srinivas, who are in judicial remand
till October 3, for nine more days.

He contended before the special CBI court that the agency
wanted to probe details of foreign benami companies where
Janardhana (a director of mining firm Obulapuram Mining
Company) made and received investments by exporting iron ore.

The Reddys have earlier applied for bail. The court
posted for tomorrow orders on the bail pleas of Janardhana and
Srinivas, and on the CBI petition seeking their custody.

The CBI, probing "illegal" mining and irregularities
in allotment of mining leases to OMC, had arrested Janardhana
and OMC MD Srinivas on September 5 from Bellary in Karnataka.

The prosecution submitted that during the six-day
custodial interrogation of the accused (from September 13),
both of them did not cooperate with CBI, which posed several
questions related to the illegal mining activities.

Ravindranath argued the duo had exclusive knowledge of
facts of the case and only they can provide information about
which (public servants) they conspired with in carrying out
illegal mining and whom they "bribed" to get permits for
transfer of the illegally excavated iron ore.

PTI

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