Reddy poses a serious threat to witnesses in Ballari: CBI tells SC

The CBI on Friday contended once more before the Supreme Court that the restriction imposed on mining baron and former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy on visiting Ballari should not be diluted as he is a very serious threat to local witnesses in the case related to the mining scam.

"My endeavour is to convince the court that his conditions for bail should not be diluted. There was a reason as to why this should not happen. He is a very serious threat to witnesses over there (in Ballari)," Additional Solicitor General Madhvi Divan said on behalf of the CBI.

She submitted before a bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari that Reddy was granted bail only on conditions that he would not visit Ballari.

"The order was a consensual one. The petitioners cannot cherry-pick what conditions they have to adhere to and what they don't," she said.

The CBI, which investigated the scam where Reddy was one of the prime accused, had filed the charge sheets.

Also Read | CBI opposes plea by Gali Janardan Reddy to remove restrictions on visit to Ballari

"The power that this person Reddy has, had an impact on two district judges and one CBI judge. Twice his application for bail was rejected," Divan said. She also pointed towards a cash-for-bail scam where a CBI judge was allegedly offered Rs 40 crore to grant bail to Reddy.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Reddy countered the argument, saying the charge was not a part of the record. Divan, for her part, said this would have an important bearing in the matter. "The court should know the background. The judges (dealing with the matter) have died in mysterious circumstances," she alleged.

The court, however, said Reddy's plea was six years down the line, should the condition still continue to operate.

She also claimed that there was a very good likelihood that he would try to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses if allowed to stay in Ballari.

Divan questioned the way the accused filed petitions after petitions for discharge.

"He along with other accused have been trying to continue to keep the court over there busy with discharge petitions. Even now they are not allowing the trial to proceed after being granted bail," Divan said.

Opposing the arguments of Divan, Rohatgi said that his client was arrested in 2011 and the allegations where there that he was mining beyond the lease area. He was bailed out on Jan 20, 2015.

Rohatgi stated that on several occasions, he had been allowed to go to Bellari and he had never violated the bail conditions imposed by this court.

"It will be very harsh for me, if the court did not allow my plea. It has been six years and the trial has not commenced as yet," Rohatgi submitted.

The court asked the parties to give a short note on submissions before posting the matter for further hearing on Monday, August 16.