The Lokayukta Special Investigating Team (SIT) that is probing the illegal transportation of iron ore below 50,000 tonnes to Belikeri port conducted simultaneous raids at eight places in Ballari district and in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The SIT raided the house of G. Janardhan Reddy, mining baron and former Minister, and collected some important documents, sources said.
Mr. Reddy, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charges of indulging in large scale illegal mining in the Ballari reserve forest areas in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh and also in Sandur taluk, is presently out on bail after three years in jail.
A computer was also seized from Mr. Reddy’s palatial building in Ballari by the SIT, led by Lokayukta SP Koushalendra Kumar along with Deputy Superintendent of Police Vivekanand, Tulasiram and Anand during the search which lasted for over three hours. His house in Bengaluru was also raided, according to sources.
The SIT sleuths, who came to the former Minister’s house here, had to wait for some time as there was no one in the house. They entered the house after Mr. Reddy’s father- in-law arrived.
This is for the first time after a gap of nearly four years that Mr. Reddy’s house in Ballari has been raided. On September 5, 2011, after arresting Mr. Reddy, the CBI had searched the house for nearly three days and seized, cash, gold and luxurious cars owned by him.
The team also raided the house of Kurubara Nagaraj, a close associate of Kudligi MLA B. Nagendra, on Talur Road, and the house of Madhukumar, an associate of Mr. Reddy in Channapatna camp on the outskirts of the city. Kurubara Nagaraj was arrested by the SIT and released on bail.
The SIT sleuths also raided the houses of Swastik Nagaraj, Kharapudi Mahesh, said to be close associates of Mr. Reddy and who had handled the illegal transportation of ore for him, at Hosapete, and also of Panthar Jayant, a BJP youth leader, who was involved in iron ore trading.
Both Swastik Nagaraj and Kharapudi Mahesh were arrested by the CBI and were released on bail.
It is learnt that the simultaneous raids was carried out based on the information given by Swastik Nagaraj, who was arrested by the SIT on Tuesday evening at Bengaluru.
