No bail for mining baron Reddy

Bangalore, May 30 (IANS) Former Karnataka minister and mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy's bail plea was rejected by a court here Wednesday on the ground that his offence was of "high magnitude" and he could tamper with the evidence if released from jail.

Reddy has been in a Bangalore jail since March 2 in connection with alleged illegal mining by Associated Mining Co owned by him.

His jail stay, however, started Sep 5 last year when he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from his hometown Bellary in north Karnataka and lodged in Hyderabad's Chanchalaguda jail in connection with an illegal mining case in Andhra Pradesh.

He was brought to Bangalore by CBI March 2.

Rejecting the bail plea, CBI Special Court judge B.M. Angadi said Reddy's offence was of "high magnitude affecting the very economy of the country".

Judge Angadi noted that the probe in the case was still on and said the accused could tamper with the evidence or threaten witnesses.

The bail pleas of Reddy's personal assistant Mehfuz Ali Khan and three other accused were also dismissed.

Reddy was tourism minister in the first BJP government in Karnataka headed by B.S. Yeddyurappa who too is facing a CBI probe into charges that his family took kickbacks from two mining firms.

Yeddyurappa, who quit last year, has sought anticipatory bail in the case but the CBI is opposing it. The court will resume hearing on the plea June 1.