Mining baron Janardhana Reddy in CBI custody till March 12

Former Bharatiya Janata Party minister in Karnataka and billionaire mine owner Gali Janardhana Reddy was Friday sent to the custody of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till March 12 in connection with an illegal mining case.

Bangalore’s additional civil and sessions court judge B.M. Angadi accepted the CBI plea for custody of Reddy for interrogation regarding illegal iron ore mining in Karnataka.

Reddy was produced in Angadi’s court by the CBI, which brought him to Bangalore early Friday from Chanchalaguda jail in Hyderabad, about 600 km from here.

Reddy has been lodged in the Hyderabad jail since Sep 5 in connection with an illegal mining case in Andhra Pradesh.

Reddy and his wife Lakshi Aruna among others are facing charges illegal mining by the Association Mining Co owned by the couple. The CBI registered the case against them in October last year.