Hyderabad:
Mining baron and former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, the prime accused in the illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), today alleged he had been "booked illegally".
Reddy, lodged in a jail in Bangalore in connection with another illegal mining case, was presented on Tuesday before a special CBI court here through video-conference following the expiry of his judicial custody in the case.
After seeking permission from Judge U Durga Prasada Rao to speak, Reddy said he was in jail since his arrest in September last year.
"It has been one year since my arrest. Have two children. It's been three years since the case was registered. I have done no wrong. Because of me, my brothers have also been sent to jail. This is a democratic country. I request the court to conduct the trials quickly," Janardhan Reddy said.
The court however extended the judicial remand of Reddy and other accused in the OMC case till September 25.
The court also extended the judicial remand of YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and other accused in the disproportionate assets case and Emaar scam, after they were presented before the court through video conference from the Chanchalguda Central Prison here.
As per CBI, the illegal mining by OMC, owned by Reddy, had resulted in a loss of Rs 5,100 crore to the exchequer.
(With PTI inputs)