The custodial interrogation of the former Karnataka Minister, Gali Janardhan Reddy, and the managing director of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), B.V. Srinivas Reddy, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded on Sunday evening with the investigating agency gathering “many details” about illegal mining by the company and persons who aided it.
The two would be produced in court on Monday morning on the expiry of the six-day policy custody, which coincides with the end of their two-week judicial remand. They were arrested at Bellary on September 5 and sent to Chanchalguda Central Jail here on judicial remand the same day. The CBI picked them up for custodial interrogation on court orders after two days of hectic arguments on September 13.
Defence counsel said they would move a bail application if the court functioned on Monday. The CBI wanted to seek extension of police custody of the two for a few more days but a decision in this regard was postponed as its joint director V.V. Lakshmi Narayana was out of station. Both the defence and the CBI are keeping their fingers crossed as everything depends on whether the courts would function or not owing to the strike by advocates in support of a separate Telangana.
The CBI officials were happy that a lot of information flowed in since the arrest of Mr. Janardhan Reddy. They said a number of persons gave evidence about the activities of Mr. Reddy, now that he was behind bars.