"Most Notorious...": Karnataka Ex-Minister G Janardhan Reddy's Bail Norms Relaxed

Gali Janardhan Reddy had sought permission to visit his hometown of Ballari, which was granted today.

The Supreme Court today granted some more relief to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, on bail since January 2015 after being arrested in connection with what the CBI has called the "most notorious mining scam ever". Relaxing his bail conditions, the court allowed him to stay in his hometown of Ballari, a little over 300 kilometres north of state capital Bengaluru. The Supreme Court said mining baron-turned-politician will have to inform the Superintendent of Police while visiting the town and leaving it. "Trial has not even started in the case and the petitioner has not violated bail conditions so far. Hence, he is permitted to go to Ballari...Meanwhile, the trial court may expedite the trial in the case," said a two-judge bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari today. Granting him bail in 2015 -- he was arrested in September 2011 -- the Supreme Court had ordered him not to visit Ballari, located in the east-central part of the state.