Crime branch arrests former Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy
Regarding the alleged bribery case of the Ambident Group, the Central Crime Branch arrested former Karnataka minister and mining businessman, Janardhana Reddy and his close aide Ali Khan, after which they were taken for medical examination. Mining businessman, G Janardhana Reddy, who is absconding in a fraud case of Rs 600 crore, had reached the court on Saturday for questioning before the crime branch. The Crime Branch issued notice to them till November 11. Reddy was supposedly wanted in a Ponzi scheme for crores of transactions. At the same time he has termed the allegations against him as a “political conspiracy”.
After the presentation in the court, Reddy has been sent to judicial custody till November 24.
Significantly, on Saturday, Janardhan Reddy reached the CCB office in a car with his lawyers. Ali Khan, close to Reddy, appeared before the police for questioning. Joint Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar told that the inquiry was initiated at four o’clock on Saturday evening from Reddy which continued through the night. While Ali Khan was allowed to go home after a brief interrogation as he was on interim bail. He told that the police will take appropriate action at the right time.
Earlier, Janardhan Reddy announced in a video message from unknown location and appeared before the CCB. This message was also broadcast on TV channels. In this he clarified that he is not absconding nor is he in Hyderabad. He claimed to be in Bengaluru. He said that “he did not have to run away because he has not done anything wrong. The police have no documents to prove them wrong. The police is misleading the media.”
Janardhan Reddy, who was minister in the BJP government in Karnataka, said that he was not scared at all because neither he has a name in the police’s FIR nor did any notice been issued to him. Now the police has issued notice, so they are appearing in the CCB on Saturday as per the notice. The CCB has accused them of fraud. Earlier, the crime branch had raided the house of Reddy in Bellary.
On Friday, a city court refused to grant him anticipatory bail. Apart from this, he is already on bail in the multi-crore mining scam.
