At least four cases pertaining to illegal mining registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are pending against former Minister and mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy. The trials in these cases are on and are at various stages of inquiry.
Mr. Reddy, once an important leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Hyderabad Karnataka (now Kalyana Karnataka) region, who played a key role in the party coming to power for the first time in 2008, was arrested by the CBI on September 5, 2011, in the Obulapuram Mining Company illegal mining case. Before that, the Karnataka Lokayukta who probed illegal mining scam in the State said during 2006-2011 period, over ₹12,000 crore worth illegal iron ore was exported by mining mafia and named Mr. Reddy as one of the kingpins.
The BJP distanced itself from him ever since, and Mr. Reddy, after coming out on bail built the Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha and became an MLA from Gangavathi in 2023.
“The CBI booked Mr. Reddy in a total of eight cases – four pertaining to illegal mining and four pertaining to alleged benami transactions. He has been acquitted in all the four benami transaction cases. Trial is on in the remaining four illegal mining cases,” Mr. Reddy’s counsel C.H. Hanumantharaya said.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has barred Mr. Reddy from entering his home district Ballari, over fears that he may influence witnesses in the cases against him. This prompted him to contest from Gangavathi, a taluk in Koppal district bordering Ballari.
