Srinivas turns out to be a 'Gajini' for CBI

Obulapuram Mining Company managing director BV Srinivas Reddy has turned out to be a 'Gajini' for the country's premier investigation agency, Central Bureau of Investigation. Replies like, "I forgot, Sir'' and "I don't know'' were all the aswers that CBI sleuths could get from him during the six days of custody.Srinivas Reddy, who is also the brotherinlaw of Karnataka former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, gave a tough time for the CBI offiicals during the custody period when both the Reddys were subjected to intense grilling in the illegal iron ore mining case. The duo were arrested recently by the CBI sleuths in Bellary and were given sixday CBI custody.After the sixday interrogation, CBI joint director VV Lakshminarayana termed Srinivas Reddy 'Gajini'. "We got replies like 'I don't know' and 'I forgot sir' from him. He acted like Gajini (a film in which the hero suffers from memory loss),'' Lakshminarayana said after emerging out of the court hall.Janardhan Reddy, however, did not give much of a tough time to the investigators but, at the same time, did not give any information to the CBI sleuths. "Most of the time, he remained silent on our queries,'' Lakshminarayana said.Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy were brought to the CBI Special Court, which was already jampacked with advocates, mediapersons and staff of the Nampaly court, around 9.10 am amid tight security and were produced before magistrate B Naga Maruthi Sharma. The smile on Janardhan Reddy's face disappeared this time and he looked depressed. Srinivas Reddy looked normal on seeing the waiting media, advocates and audience. They entered the court hall with folded hands and stood bowing before the magistrate. They replied in negative when the magistrate asked them, "Have you faced any difficulties with the CBI officials during the sixday long interrogation?'' Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy shook their heads to gesture 'no' . Later, both of them sought permission to meet their advocates who were in the court hall. After the magistrate gave them the permission, the Reddys, keeping their hands folded, walked out of the court hall and met their counsels Uday Lalith and CV Nagesh. Lalith patted Janardhan's shoulder and said 'all will go positively'. A few politicians, who came from Bellary, met the Reddys and chatted with them for a while. Around 11 am CBI officials shifted both of them to the Chanchalguda central prison. People, who gathered in the court and residents in nearby apartments also tried to capture the Reddys on their cell phone cameras.

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com