CBI raids houses of 4 Janardhana Reddy aides

Continuing its raids in the illegal mining scam, CBI Sunday conducted searches at the residences of four close aides of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy and seized several documents, official sources said.

The central agency raided the residences of Reddy's aides and also Pragati Grameen Bank in Renukacharyanagar, Nehru Colony and Gandhinagar areas.

A six-member CBI team from Hyderabad swooped down on the residence of Gurulinge Gowda, Chairman of Bellary Urban Development Authority, at Renukacharya this morning, while six others conducted searches at the residence of Rajashekar Gowda, a zilla panchayat member and resident of Nehru Colony.

Eight CBI officials also raided the houses of Bhaskar Reddy and Venkatesh Reddy at Gandhinagar, sources said.

The probe agency later brought Bhaskar and Venkatesh Reddy to Pragati Grameen Bank in Gandhinagar and scrutinised their bank and locker accounts for nearly 45 minutes, they said.

The sources said CBI might continue raids tomorrow as their plan to raid some more associates of Reddy did not fructify today. Some associates of Reddy have left the city, fearing CBI raids, they said.

Reddy, the mining baron and former state minister, is currently lodged in a Hyderabad jail following CBI raids on his residence here on September 5 in connection with illegal mining.