Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths on Sunday claimed that G. Janardhana Reddy was arrested in an alleged money laundering case after they found documentary evidence indicting the former Minister.
“We took the decision to arrest (Mr. Reddy) based on credible material evidence and statements from witnesses, whose legal scrutiny indicated the need for an arrest,” said Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Bengaluru.
He added that they recovered a crucial evidence on Saturday. Sources said the police have documents linking the purchase 57 kg gold to a firm linked to Mr. Reddy. S. Ramesh of Rajamahal Fancy Jewellers, Ballari, who reportedly received 57 kg of gold in bullion from Ambika Sales Corporation, Bengaluru, had earlier given a statement to the police that he had delivered the gold to Mr. Reddy’s personal assistant K. Mehfuz Ali Khan. However, Mr. Ramesh, who out on bail, had approached the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission on Friday alleging that his statement was taken in custody by force and that he was tortured. This seemed to weaken the police case. However, officials now claim they have corroborative material evidence to show Mr. Ramesh delivered the gold to Khan.
However, Mr. Reddy’s counsel Chandrashekhar, who was with the former BJP Minister through the 22-hour-long interrogation from Saturday evening, told The Hindu there were no grounds for the arrest as the former had cooperated with the investigating agency and his questioning was completed.
He claimed there was no documentary evidence linking Mr. Reddy to the gold.
