Caged Reddy has no escape for now

HYDERABAD: The outcome of two earlier income tax raids, reports of the Karnataka Lokayukta and the Central Empowered Committee and the seizure of Rs 3 crore, 30 kg gold and a large number of incriminating documents -- has helped the CBI build a foolproof case against mining magnate Gali Janardhan Reddy.This, the agency believes, will make it difficult for Gali Janardhan Reddy and his brother-in-law B Srinivas Reddy to get relief from court in the near future.Sources associated with the investigation revealed that ever since the case was registered against Gali Janardhan Reddy, the CBI had begun gathering information and documents linked to him.“The ground work was going on for quite some time.Two income tax raids were conducted on different occasions on Gali Janardhan Reddy.Then, there were the reports of the Lokayukta and the Central Empowered Committee.We also seized several documents containing details about illegal mining and the huge profits made from the same,” the source said.The final nail in the coffin, so to speak, came on the day of Gali Janardhan Reddy’s arrest with the seizure of `3 crore in cash, 30 kg gold and a fleet of vehicles including his helicopter.“The amount was found in a bag in a corner of the house,” a source said.“The investigation is at a crucial stage,” an officer remarked adding that a battery of lawyers and Gali’s family members were caught unawares when the CBI knocked on his doors, as they had been under the impression that ‘there was still a lot of time’ and that he would at best be called for questioning, that too to the CBI office in Bangalore.