SC allows G Janardhana Reddy to visit Bellary for two days

Supreme Court on Thursday allowed former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy to visit Bellary in Karnataka, for two days to attend the last rites ceremony of his close associate's mother with police protection.

Supreme Court on Thursday allowed former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy to visit Bellary in Karnataka, for two days to attend the last rites ceremony of his close associate's mother with police protection. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Arun Mishra and also comprising Justice B R Gavai and Krishna Murari, passed the order today after Gali Janardhan Reddy, sought permission to attend the last rite ceremony.

Reddy, accused of illegal mining, also in his petition to the apex court, prayed to visit Bellary district in Karnataka for two days. The apex court noted and passed the order and allowed him to visit the district to attend the ceremony. "He [Gali Janardhan Reddy] is permitted to visit district Bellary, Karnataka, for two days, that too under the police protection on August 30, 2020, and return on September 01, 2020," the bench made it clear in its order.

"He [Gali Janardhan Reddy] shall not try to influence any witness when he visits district Bellary," the apex court further said. The court had in its earlier order directed the former Karnataka minister not to visit Bellary.

Senior advocate and former Attorney General of India, (AG) Mukul Rohatgi, represented the side of Gali Janardhan Reddy before the apex court and pleaded that he be allowed to visit Bellary, Karnataka to attend the last rites ceremony of his close associate's mother. (ANI)