Ballari: The Lokayukta Special Investigating Team (SIT) raided the house of mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy here, on Thursday, in connection with a case of illegal mining and transportation of iron ore below 50,000 tonnes to Belikeri port.
The SIT team headed by SP Koushalendra Kumar along with Deputy Superintendent of Police Vivekanand, Tulasiram and Anand conducted simultaneous raids at eight places in Ballari district and in Bengaluru, including the premises of two legislators, B Nagendra from Kudligi and T H Suresh Babu from Kampli.
In the search which lasted for over three hours, SIT sleuths have reportedly collected some important documents and seized a computer from his residence. This is the first time in nearly four years that Reddy’s house in Ballari has been raided. On September 5, 2011, after arresting Reddy, the CBI had searched the house for nearly three days and seized, cash, gold and luxurious cars owned by him.
Janardhan Reddy was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on charges of indulging in large scale illegal mining in the Ballari reserve forest areas in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh and also in Sandur taluk. Reddy is presently out on bail after three and half years in jail. The sources said that Reddy who has been maintaining a low profile since he was released on bail, may be in for fresh trouble.
Sources said, while only one FIR has been filed naming Janardhan Reddy as an accused, SIT has been probing his role in a host of other cases as well. The former Minister secured an interim anticipatory bail in one of the cases, where the FIR named him as an accused. Though Janardhan Reddy was not on record running any trading firm that has exported ore from the Belekeri port, the SIT is considering indicting him on charges of being the source for the illegally mined ore that was illegally exported from the port, sources said.
The SIT team also raided the house of Kuruba Nagaraj, a partner in M/s Eagle Traders and Logistics owned by Kudligi MLA B. Nagendra, on Talur Road, and the house of Madhukumar, an associate of Mr. Reddy in Channapatna camp on the outskirts of the city. Kuruba Nagaraj was arrested by the SIT and released on bail.
The SIT sleuths also raided the houses of Swastik Nagaraj, Kharapudi Mahesh, said to be close associates of Reddy and who had handled the illegal transportation of ore for him.
