Andhra Pradesh High Court refuses bail to Gali Janardhan Reddy in illegal mining case

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh High Court today refused bail to mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivsas Reddy in the illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).

The court accepted CBI's contention that they may tamper with evidence if released on bail at this juncture.

The CBI had also told the court that it was following a money-trail across the globe involving the accused, and if Gali Janardhan Reddy was released, it might jeopardise the probe.

Reddy's counsel had argued that the CBI's opposition to bail for his client two years after the arrest was not fair; charge sheets had been filed and documents seized, so there was no possibility of tampering with the evidence.

Gali Janardhan Reddy, owner of OMC, and Srinivas Reddy, the managing director, were arrested on September 5, 2011.

The lower court has denied them bail at least six times. CBI filed charge sheet in OMC case in December 2011. OMC is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and carrying on illegal mining in the Bellary Reserve Forest area, spread over Bellary district of Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.