In a setback to mining baron-turned-politician Gali Janardhana Reddy, a CBI court on Tuesday ordered the seizure of his properties and also those in the name of his wife Gali Aruna Laxmi until criminal cases against them are disposed off.
The CBI had submitted a petition before the court seeking seizure of 124 properties belonging to the couple. However, the court permitted the seizure of only 77 properties under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
The former BJP government in Karnataka had given consent on January 12 for the seizure of properties after being rapped by the Karnataka High Court.
The CBI had sought permission to seize properties belonging to Janardhana Reddy in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
When the state government did not give permission, the CBI had filed the petition.
Gali Janardhana Reddy had floated a new political party before the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka.
He won from Gangavathyand his wife Aruna pushed the BJP to the third place in the Ballary City seat.
His party had hurt the BJP in Hyderabad-Karnataka region. During the campaign, Reddy claimed that he won't bother much about seizure of his properties and I-T raids.
He had further stated that during the time of his arrest, property worth Rs 1,200 crore was seized but he managed to win the case in the High Court.
Janardhana Reddy also stated that his properties had increased from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 4,000 crore.
(With inputs from IANS)
