A special CBI court has sentenced former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, his brother-in-law B.V. Srinivasa Reddy, and two others to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in the ₹884 crore Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal mining case. The case, which lasted over 13 years, involved the illegal extraction of iron ore in Andhra Pradesh’s Obulapuram region, causing a significant loss to the state exchequer. The other convicted individuals are former director of mines V.D. Rajagopal and company partner K. Mehafus Ali Khan.
The court found the accused guilty of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and breach of trust. While Janardhan Reddy requested a reduced sentence, citing his prior imprisonment, and Srinivasa Reddy appealed for leniency due to his age, the judge maintained the original sentence. BRS MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy and retired IAS officer B. Krupanandam were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The convicts have the option to appeal the verdict in the High Court.