Bengaluru: Gali Janardhana Reddy was chargesheeted by the Special Investigation Team probing illegal mining and transportation of iron ore in Ballari.
This illegal mining case at the special Lokayukta court pertains to illegal acquisition of a mining lease of one N Shaikh Sab between 2009-10 in Hospet taluk and also extracting, transporting and selling of iron without valid permission. Reddy’s co-accused include Mehfuz Ali Khan and BV Srinivas Reddy.
Reddy and other co-accused will be tried under charges including sections 379 (punishment of theft), 420 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and rule 165 of the Karnataka Forest Rules.
Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials claim that Ali Khan and another accused Srinivasa Reddy have allegedly extracted iron ore in far quantities excessive than what the mining norms allow, and sold them to many exporters. These violations caused a loss of Rs 23.89 lakh to the state exchequer.
The SIT was formed in 2011 after the then Lokayukta and former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde submitted a report on the illegal mining in Ballari.
Srinivas Reddy is a partner in Janardhana Reddy’s Obalapuram Mining Company, which in turn operates two shell companies – Sri Minerals and Basaveshwara Minerals.
Janardhana Reddy was arrested by the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru for his alleged involvement in the Ambident ponzi scheme. He is currently out in bail, which was granted to him after an affidavit was filed by Ali Khan stating Reddy is not involved in the ponzi scheme.
Reddy is banned by the Supreme Court from entering his home district Ballari, after he was convicted in the illegal mining scam case in 2011, and spent at least three years in jail.
