The Supreme Court today allowed Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron G Janardhan Reddy to visit Ballari to meet his ailing father-in-law..Janardhan Reddy had moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to visit Ballari given that Reddy is at large on bail with a condition of not visiting the district without the Court’s leave. Reddy is one of the accused in a case of illegal mining scam of about ₹35,000 Crores..The permission to visit Ballari was sought on account of Reddy’s father-in-law suffering a heart-attack. Senior Counsel S Ganesh arguing for Reddy submitted that Reddy has, in the past, visited Ballari with the Court’s permission on five different occasions. Each time, he had returned in due time and had complied with the Court’s order..The State, represented by Additional Solicitor General, Madhavi Diwan, submitted that Reddy and his co-accused had made attempts in delaying the trial. The same was, however, strongly disputed by Reddy’s counsel and was taken note of by the Court..Justice Ajay Rastogi, who was on the Bench with Justice Indira Banerjee, asked the State as to why after six years of time, charges were not framed against the accused persons in the case. The Court noted the slow pace of progress in the trial despite the Court’s order regarding expeditious trial as well as the fact that the chargesheet in the case has been filed..At this juncture, Reddy’s counsel urged the Court to consider the prayer made in the application regarding modification of the Court’s previous order so that Reddy is relieved of the obligation to seek Court’s leave every time before visiting Ballari. This prayer was made in addition to the prayer for interim relief to visit Ballari to see his father-in-law..The Court granted permission to Reddy to visit the district for two weeks starting June 8. On the prayer for modification of the Court’s old order, Reddy was been given liberty to file another application praying specifically for the same..Read the order:. Image Courtesy: DB Post.Bar & Bench is available on WhatsApp. For real-time updates on stories, Click here to subscribe to our WhatsApp.
