Mining scam: SC permits Ex-Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy to visit ailing father-in-law
New Delhi, Jun 7: Former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy, an accused in a multi-crore rupee illegal mining case, was Friday allowed by the Supreme Court to visit his hometown Ballari to see his ailing father-in-law.
A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Ajay Rastogi however expressed concern over the delay in framing of charges and starting of the trial in the Rs 35,000 crore mining scam.
"We are concerned as to why charges have not been framed and trial yet not started," the bench said while pulling up the CBI, the prosecuting agency in the case.
The bench, which permitted Reddy to attend to his father-in-law for two weeks from June 8, refused however to consider his request seeking dilution of the previous condition barring him to visit Ballari, Karnataka, without the court's prior nod.
Senior advocate S Ganesh, appearing for Reddy, said on several occasions he has been permitted to visit Ballari and there was not a single complaint that he violated bail conditions.
"This time, his father-in-law had suffered a stroke. He had undergone three bypass surgeries. His medical condition is extremely precarious and he was lying in ICU of a hospital over there," the lawyer said.
During the brief hearing, the lawyer also said that despite the apex court direction of July 2016 to speed up the trial, it has not even started as the charges are yet to be framed.
Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, who appeared for the probe agency, opposed the plea for relaxation of restrictions imposed on Reddy on his visit to Ballari and said that he was the main accused in the case.
"Why charges were not framed for six years. We are concerned about the delay," the bench asked.
The charges could not be framed because few other co-accused have filed pleas seeking discharge from the case and they are still pending, the law officer said, adding that CBI would like to file a detailed reply in the case.
The court said however that it would only deal with Reddy's plea seeking its nod to visit Ballari.
The apex court in March had dismissed Reddy's plea to modify his bail condition over Ballari visit.
He was granted conditional bail by the apex court in January 2015 after spending more than three years in jail, and directed not to visit his hometown Ballari as well as Anantapur and Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, managing director of the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011 from Ballari and brought to Hyderabad.
The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings and indulging in illegal mining in the Ballari Reserve Forest area, spread over Ballari and Anantapur district.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nora Fatehi apologises before NCW over 'Sarke Chunar' row, vows support for orphan girls
New Delhi (PTI): Actor Nora Fatehi on Thursday appeared before the National Commission for Women in connection with a controversy surrounding the song 'Sarke Chunar' and apologised, saying there was "no intention to offend anybody."
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Fatehi said she had been put in a situation unintentionally but acknowledged her responsibility as an artist.
"It was just a situation that I was put in, and there was no intention to offend anybody. But of course, I have to be responsible as an artiste. I definitely apologise, we have done everything in writing. They have been so kind and helpful," she said.
The actor also said she has decided to sponsor the education of a few orphan girls.
"It's really important for us to give back to society. So, I decided that we should sponsor a few orphan girls, their education, so that is the goal after this matter," she said.
Earlier, Fatehi distanced herself from the Hindi version of the song, saying she had shot the Kannada version and that her permission was not taken for its use in Hindi.
The Hindi version of the song, released on March 15 on YouTube, triggered outrage among a section of the public over its allegedly explicit lyrics.
Following the backlash, the makers removed the Hindi version from YouTube, though it continued to circulate across platforms. The lyricist, singer and director have also issued apologies.
'KD The Devil' is a Kannada film, dubbed in four languages, including Hindi.
