Supreme Court Grants Final Extension For Trial To Conclude In 2011 Illegal Mining Case Against Ex-Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy

The Supreme Court today (January 10) granted a final extension of time for Trial Court to conclude the trial in the 2011 illegal mining case against former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy. The FIR was lodged against Reddy in 2011, and the case has been pending for more than 13 years despite the October 10, 2022 order of the Supreme Court directing the Trial Court to conclude the trial starting from November 9, 2022, within 6 months without fail. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal has given an extension of 4 months time. The Court specifically added that no further extension of time for trial will be given while disposing of the M.A.Reddy is facing the trial for offences under Sections 120(B), 420, 379, 409, 468, 411, 427 and 447 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, section 2 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, Rule 21 read with Rules 4(1), 4(1)(A) and 23 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on September 5, 2011. On January 20, 2015, after the Trial Court and the High Court denied him bail, he was released by the Supreme Court on the conditions that he shall not visit the Districts of Bellary in Karnataka and District of Ananthapuram and Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh from where most of the witnesses belong in this case. In 2016, Reddy approached the Supreme Court with a request to delete the bail conditions imposed on him. However, the same was rejected with a direction to the Trial Court to make endeavours to complete the trial expeditiously. Another criminal miscellaneous petition was filed for the modification of bail conditions, which came to be rejected in 2017. In 2021, again an application was filed wherein the Court as an interim relief modified the bail condition allowing him to visit Ballery, Ananthapuram and Cuddapah only on the prior intimation to the SP of the concerned district. It also added that the trial court should proceed expeditiously. Thereafter, when it heard the application for final relief, it was argued there continues to be a delay in trial for which the petitioner cannot be held responsible. The relief was sought that he may be allowed to enter, stay and function in the Bellary in Karnataka and Ananthapuram and Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh. However, a bench of Justices M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari stated that this relief cannot be granted because there are "serious apprehensions" that he would influence the trial. In fact, the Court pointed out that the said apprehensions have come true and even "judicial officers were influence/tried to be influenced".The Court also noted its dismay about the fact that 11 years have passed since the lodging of FIT, and the trial has not begun despite various orders of the Court to expedite the trial. While directing the trial court to conduct the trial on day-to-day basis and conclude within 6 months without fail, the Court disposed of the MA. It allowed Reddy to stay in Bellary for a limited period to take care of his daughter who had just delivered a baby.Case Details: GALI JANARDHAN REDDY v. THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH., MA 2636/2024 in SLP(Crl) No. 7053/2013 Click Here To Read/Download Order

Supreme Court Grants Final Extension For Trial To Conclude In 2011 Illegal Mining Case Against Ex-Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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