BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court today issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI] on a batch of petitions filed by former tourism minister Gali Janardhan Reddy challenging proceedings against him in a Special CBI Court on illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port.
Further hearing on the controversial politician's petition has been posted to next week.
The four cases Janardhan Reddy is contesting relate to alleged illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port by four companies: M/s Dream Logistics, M/s SB Logistics, M/s ILC Industries and Shri Malikarjuna Shipping Company.
Reddy's petition claims that he has been made to face a trial even though he was not involved in illegal excavation or export of iron ore. Further, these allegations were already covered in the main case prosecuted against him, the Associated Mining Company case. Therefore, it was not legally valid to prosecute him again on similar allegations, he contended.
However, CBI contended in today's hearing that Janardhan Reddy caused losses to the state exchequer of crores of rupees by indulging in illegal excavation and export of minerals.