HC reprieve to Reddy brothers, setback for AP

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government suffered yet another setback in its attempt to curb the Reddy brothers of Bellary after the AP high court put on hold a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged illegal mining along the state’s border with Karnataka.

The CBI investigation, which was requested by the state, has been stayed for six weeks, providing a reprieve to the embattled Reddy brothers and the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) which they run. On Friday, the same court put on hold a November 25 decision by the government to suspend iron ore mining operations in the Anantapur area.

Government officials said Andhra plans to appeal against both orders in the Supreme Court. The Congress government is in the throes of a crisis triggered by the agitation for a separate state Telangana. A top bureaucrat remarked the Telangana agitation is a deliberate ploy to try and divert attention from illegal mining.

“It is unfortunate that the judiciary and the legislature have differences in this case. It shows inefficiency on the part of the government,” said TDP leader Revanth Reddy.