Ballari: Central Crime Branch officials from Bengaluru swooped down on the palatial residence of mining baron and former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in Ballari on Thursday in a money laundering case, in which Mr Reddy is accused of taking Rs 20 crore to strike a deal with Enforcement Directorate officials to drop the case against a Bengaluru-based firm involved in a Ponzi scheme.
Sources said the sleuths entered the mansion at around 6 am when Mr Reddy’s wife Ms Lakshmi Aruna was inside, along with her father Mr Parameshwar Reddy and mother Ms Nagalakshamma.
It is alleged that Syed Ahmed Fareed, founder of the firm, Ambidant Marketing Pvt. Ltd, paid Mr Reddy Rs 20 crore — Rs 2 crore in cash and 57 kg in gold bullion worth Rs 18 crore — by laundering it through two jewellery firms to escape from the ED’s clutches.
Soon after the arrival of CCB cops at Mr Reddy’s residence, his close confidante and Molakalmur BJP MLA Mr B. Sriramulu and former YSRC legislator from Rayadurg in AP Kapu Ramachandra Reddy arrived at the place.
Sources said the CCB sleuths had a tough time with Mr Reddy’s mother-in-law Ms Nagalakshamma who reportedly picking up a quarrel for searching the residence on a festival. Mr Sriramulu too questioned the sleuths for conducting the search without proper intimation.
