Former Minister of Karnataka and second accused in the illegal mining case of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) Gali Janardhan Reddy on Friday urged the Special Court for CBI Cases to grant him bail on the grounds that investigation was almost complete.
As a people’s representative, he was required to be among his constituents as Assembly elections were approaching fast in Karnataka where he had stakes, Mr. Reddy claimed.
His political career would be at stake if he was confined to jail for long as he was in the judicial custody for 18 months now since his arrest on September 5, 2011 by the CBI, he said in his fresh bail petition.
The investigating agency had already filed three charge-sheets and it would not impact the remaining probe, if any, as all documents were seized by it and several witnesses had already deposed.
The question of his influencing the investigation, tampering the evidence or threatening the witnesses would not arise at all since the investigation into all aspects was in progress by the admission of CBI itself, he contended.
The judge posted the case to February 18 for filing of counter by the CBI.
Interestingly, it was only on February 4 Mr. Janardhan Reddy had withdrawn his bail petition filed last month.
Remand extended
Meanwhile, the Principal Special Court for ACB Cases on Friday extended the remand of Mr. Janardhan Reddy and other accused in the cash-for-bail scam till February 28.
