Illegal mining: CBI searches Reddy brothers' office in Bellary

A CBI team today carried out searches in the office of the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), owned by Reddy brothers, in Bellary, and seized files and CDs, police said.  This is the second such operation by the investigating agency at the OMC's office here - the first being on December 10, 2009.

The 11-member team broke open the office lock to carry out the searches in the wee hours and seized four hard discs, three computers and numerous files and CDs, police said.

The CBI, probing alleged illegal mining and irregularities in allotment of mining leases to OMC, had arrested one of the three Reddy brothers, Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law and OMC Managing Director Srinivas Reddy on September 5 from Bellary.

The two are under judicial custody till October 3 and lodged at Chanchalguda Central Prison in Hyderabad.

The Supreme Court on September 23 asked the CBI to probe the "linkage" between mining activities in Bellary district and Ananthpur in Andhra Pradesh allegedly involving the Reddy brothers.