Reddys arrest: 'CBI working under Congress shadow'

The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday slammed the Congress for the arrest of former state minister G Janardhana Reddy, alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation was working under the shadow of the ruling party at the Centre.

"The arrest of Janardhana Reddy proves the CBI is under the shadow of the Congress," state BJP President K S Eshwarappa told newsmen at Shimoga.

He said the BJP's consistent stand has been that it has no confidence in the investigation agency, as there are many examples of its misuse.

He said Reddy would wage a legal battle to clear his name. "I am confident that he will get justice."

The BJP expressed hope that Janardhan Reddy, who has been arrested in connection with the mining scam, will come out clean but maintained the whole issue was related to his private business and not to the party.

"Reddy brothers are holding the point that they have not violated any rules of mining. We are sure Janardhan Reddy will come out clean...As long as they are associated politically with us, we will own them up," Dhananjay Kumar, Karnataka government's special representative in Delhi, said.

The CBI on Monday arrested mining baron G Janardhan Reddy and Managing Director of Obalapuram Mining Company B V Srinivas Reddy after conducting raids at their premises.

Asked about the arrests, Kumar said, "It is a process of investigation. If CBI comes to the conclusion that it has to apprehend somebody as part of its investigations, then it is well within its right to do so. The agency is carrying out the orders of the Andhra High Court."

Kumar said the mining operations carried out by the Reddy brothers were their private business and has nothing to do with the party.

Reddy, who was the Tourism and Infrastructure Development Minister in the previous B S Yeddyurappa government, was among those indicted by the Lokayukta report on illegal mining submitted to the Government on July 27.

Eshwarappa said the BJP's consistent stand has been that it has no confidence in the investigation agency, as there are many examples of its misuse.