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Supreme Court today while continuing to hear plea by Mining Baron, Gali Janardhan Reddy, seeking alteration of Bail condition restraining him to visit his hometown – Bellary, said, the one pager note which are asked to be submitted by the Counsel, often resemble T&C of the Insurance Companies, indicating the smallest font size adopted to accommodate as much as possible.

The observation was made on a lighter note, pursuant to the last order, wherein Ld. ASG for the CBI, was directed to submit a brief note opposing the relief sought by the petitioner.

A Division Bench of Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, while adjourning the matter to next Thursday, said,

“We are noticing since we have been telling the counsels to file 1 pager note, the font size has reduced to T&C of insurance companies and there is no space for us to make any remarks.”

Earlier, Senior Counsel Mukul Rohatgi submitted that the bail condition restraining petitioner from visiting his hometown was harsh –

“It is alleged by the CBI that he was mining beyond the lease area. A dispute about the boundary between the two States (Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh) was pending before the Supreme Court. He was arrested in 2011, bailed by the Supreme Court in 2015. He has been allowed to visit Bellary on previous instances and not violated any conditions. Considering the Trial has not progressed, I submit that this condition of not visiting home is very harsh.”

ASG Ms. Madhavi Divan submitted that out of 300 witnesses, 47 alone were in Bellary – That the petitioner along with other conspirators are acting in tandem to delay the trial by filing repetitive discharge applications and quashing petitions. Moreover, when the petitioner was allowed on Bail earlier it was on the condition that he will not visit three districts – namely, Bellary, Cuddapah and Anantpur.

“You cannot press on alteration of condition when the delay is attributable to you,” added Ms. Divan for the CBI.

A part of Ld. ASG’s submission also rested on the influential position of the accused(s) and the gravity of the issue herein – “This is one of the most notorious mining scams ever.”

On April 5, A bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Subhash Reddy, had reserved orders in a similar plea by the petitioner.

Reddy and his brother-in-law, B V Srinivas Reddy, MD, Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC), were arrested by CBI on September 5, 2011 from Bellary and brought to Hyderabad.

The company is accused of changing mining lease boundary and indulging in illegal mining in the Bellary Reserve Forest area, spread over Bellary in Karnataka & Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Case Title: Gali Janardhan Reddy v. State of Andhra Pradesh