Reddy brothers' offices raided

CBI on Thursday raided offices of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy, as part of an investigation into alleged illegal mining activities.

Police sources said the 11-member CBI team, which arrived late on Wednesday, questioned OMC staff at its office in Havambhavi area and later visited Reddy's house. Janardhana Reddy has been asked to be available for questioning.

The CBI officials conducted searches at the Ennoble India company, a chit firm owned by Janardhana, which has now become defunct and reportedly seized some documents, CDs and two computers, police said.

The team, which questioned Janardhana and health minister B. Sreeramulu, visited five mining companies in Bellary, but details of documents seized were not available immediately.

Meanwhile, Janardhana alleged it was a conspiracy by the Congress which had led to the CBI probe. "They (Congress) are troubling us. They are trying to create problems for the BJP government in Karnataka," he told reporters here.

The Centre has ordered the CBI probe into alleged illegal mining at the Andhra Pradesh government's request.

The Reddy brothers are under the scanner of CBI and Supreme Court over alleged illegal mining in parts of Karnataka bordering Andhra Pradesh. Reddy brothers hold three mining licences in Andhra Pradesh.

Soon after Andhra Pradesh sought a CBI probe, opposition Congress and JDS in Karnataka stepped up pressure on the state government to seek a similar probe, which the Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa flatly rejected.

Yeddyurappa also asserted that there was no need to axe the three ministers and mining magnates from Bellary, including G. Karunakara Reddy, brother of Janardhana Reddy and their close associate, health minister B. Sreeramulu.

Yeddyurappa has maintained that there is no illegal mining in Karnataka and he has not granted any new mining licence ever since he assumed office.