CBI wants to further question ex-Karnataka minister, kin

The CBI today told a special court that it wants to further interrogate former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivas Reddy, arrested in connection with alleged illegal mining activities, saying they did not cooperate during their earlier questioning.

As the case came up for hearing today after repeated adjournments, CBI deputy legal advisor B Ravindranath sought custody of Janardhana and Srinivas, who are in judicial remand till October 3, for nine more days.

He contended before the special CBI court that the agency wanted to probe details of foreign benami companies where Janardhana (a director of mining firm Obulapuram Mining Company) made and received investments by exporting iron ore.

The Reddys have earlier applied for bail. The court posted for tomorrow orders on the bail pleas of Janardhana and Srinivas, and on the CBI petition seeking their custody.

The CBI, probing "illegal" mining and irregularities in allotment of mining leases to OMC, had arrested Janardhana and OMC MD Srinivas on September 5 from Bellary in Karnataka.

The prosecution submitted that during the six-day custodial interrogation of the accused (from September 13), both of them did not cooperate with CBI, which posed several questions related to the illegal mining activities.

Ravindranath argued the duo had exclusive knowledge of facts of the case and only they can provide information about which (public servants) they conspired with in carrying out illegal mining and whom they "bribed" to get permits for transfer of the illegally excavated iron ore.