Janardhan Reddy seeks court nod to visit Bellary

Former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy today filed an interim bail petition at a court here seeking permission to visit Bellary to participate in his mother's death anniversary ritual.

Janardhan Reddy, lodged in the Chanchalguda jail here along with brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy since September 5 after being arrested by the CBI in connection with "illegal" mining case involving the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by him, filed an interim bail plea in the Special Court for CBI cases seeking permission to visit Bellary along with jail escort for two days to attend his mother's death anniversary ceremony on December 31.

The petitioner said he has been regularly participating in his mother's death anniversary ceremony since 2000 and had been involved in religious and charity programmes organised on the occasion.

The court posted the matter for hearing tomorrow to allow the CBI file its counter.

Meanwhile, the court through video conference extended the judicial remand of the Reddys and another accused and former director mines V D Rajagopal till January 12, 2012.

It had yesterday withheld its verdict on the bail applications of the Reddys after their counsels sought for reopening the hearing to enable them to present additional submission seeking bail.

The next hearing on the bail pleas will also come up tomorrow.

CBI probing the OMC scam had filed its chargesheet against the Reddys and three others on December 3.