CBI raids mining firms for second day in Bellary

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Bellary, Oct 4, 2011: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continued raids on mining firms said to be associated with arrested former Karnataka minister G. Janardhana Reddy here for the second day Tuesday.

"The raids are on at several mining companies in Bellary town, Hospet and Torangal in the district," a CBI spokesperson said. Bellary, about 300 km from Bangalore, is the political base of Janardhana Reddy and his two brothers, G. Karunakara, also a former minister, and G. Somashekara. All three are ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators.

Among the firms being searched are B. Nagappa Mines in Bellary, residence of its owner Shantalakshmi Jayaram and a transport firm, CBI sources said. A CBI team was at Jindal Steel Works (JSW) for the second day, inspecting its account books and documents, the sources said.

JSW had Monday denied its offices were raided by the CBI. "Only information was sought and that has been provided," the company said. The CBI raids follow a Supreme Court directive to probe the Reddy’s illegal mining activities.

On Monday, the CBI registered its first case against Janardhana Reddy in Karnataka. It has also filed a case against Deccan Mining Syndicate owned by Rajendra Jain.
Reddy was arrested Sep 5 along with the managing director of his Obulapuram Mining Company, B.V. Srinivas Reddy, for illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh.

Both are now lodged in Hyderabad’s Chanchalaguda jail. The CBI Monday raided Associated Mining Company, also owned by Reddy, and Deccan Mining Syndicate offices in Bellary and seized documents.

Courtesy: Deccan Herald