SC grants bail to mining baron Gali Jardhan Reddy

New Delhi, January 20:  The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Gali Jardhan Reddy, a former Kartaka tourism minister and a mining magte, after he spent more than three years in jail in connection with an illegal mining case. A bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu, Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Arun Mishra granted bail to Reddy after Additiol Solicitor General Maninder Singh – appearing for the CBI – told the court that the investigation in the case had been completed and a chargesheet had been filed. Jardhan Reddy and his two brothers own the Obulapuram mining company. They were ministers in the BJP government of then chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. However, all three were removed after their arrest in an illegal mining case. Granting him bail, the court said he would furnish a bail bond of Rs.10 lakh and a sureity of like ammount. The court also directed him to surrender his passport and stay away from mining areas like Bellary district of Kartaka, and Cuddappah and Antpur districts of Andhra Pradesh. (IANS)