Mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy arrested

Gali Janardhan Reddy was arrested by Karnataka Lokayukta Special Investigation Team in connection with an illegal mining case allegedly involving his company.

Bengaluru: Mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy was on Friday arrested by Karnataka Lokayukta Special Investigation Team in connection with an illegal mining case allegedly involving his company.

Reddy, a former minister who is out on bail in another case, was arrested when he appeared before the SIT in response to summons for questioning, a top SIT official said.

"Yes, we have arrested Janardhan Reddy for illegal mining case involving his Black Gold Iron Ore Mines and Minerals company. He was arrested here today after he was summoned for interrogation," Inspector General of Police (Lokayukta SIT) K S R Charan Reddy told PTI here.

He has been arrested on charges of illegal extraction and transportation of iron ore, cheating and misappropriation and abuse of power by public servant, among others, he said.

The Supreme Court, on January 20, had granted bail to Reddy, an accused in the illegal mining case involving his Obalapuram Mining Company.

In OMC case, the company has been accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari in Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy is facing several criminal cases and was lodged in a jail in Andhra Pradesh after he was arrested on September 5, 2011 from Ballari and brought to Hyderabad.