Order dropping charge against Gali Janardhana Reddy stayed

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court stayed for six weeks the order of a special court, which had dropped charges of criminal breach of trust by a public servant (IPC Section 409) against Gali Janardhana Reddy in an illegal mining case.

The special court had framed charges against former minister Reddy and several others. But Mr Reddy had prayed to exclude the charge framed against him under Sec 409. The special court on September 18, 2018 dropped the charge under Sec 409 against Mr Reddy, which was questioned by the CBI before the High Court.

The case pertains to the CBI accusing Mr Reddy of illegally extracting huge quantities of iron ore, stocking it in unapproved stockyards, transporting and trading it without valid permits. The CBI stated that Mr Reddy carried out the illegal activity when he was a minister in charge of Ballari district.

The special court, while dropping the charge, had held that despite being a public servant, Mr Reddy was not entrusted with the forest and mineral resources in Ballari and that the two ministries did not come under his domain. He was not liable to be charged with criminal breach of trust by a public servant, the special court held. Mr Reddy and the other accused, including six companies, are charged with causing a loss of Rs 198 crore to the state exchequer.

Three appeal against ED summons

Three aides of Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar – Sunil Sharma, Sachin NarayaN and Anjaneya Hanumanthiah, accused in the illegal money transfer case registered under Prevention of Money Laundering Act – have approached the division bench of the High Court questioning the summons issued against them by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Following income tax raids at the residences of Mr Shivakumar and four others in Bengaluru and New Delhi, where unaccounted money of Rs 8.59 crore was seized, the Principal Director of IT had granted sanction for prosecution of offences punishable under sections of IT and IPC Act.

The three appellants pressed for an early hearing, but the court refused and posted the case to September 5.

The ED has already filed a caveat, praying before the court that it should be heard before passing any orders in the matter.