Supreme Court allows Janardhana Reddy to visit Ballari freely

BALLARI: In a major relief for former minister and BJP Gangavathi MLA G Janardhana Reddy, who is out on bail in the illegal mining case, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed him to enter Ballari 13 years after he was barred from entering the district.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court allowed Janardhana Reddy to enter Ballari district without prior permission. Reddy was arrested and named the main accused in the illegal mining case which was going on in Ballari, and Anantapur and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. He was barred from entering those places after his release from jail on bail.

Janardhana Reddy had visited the district on a few occasions including his daughter’s wedding and granddaughter’s naming ceremony after securing court permission. He had last visited Ballari in November 2021.

Reddy had spent three years and four months in jail in the illegal mining case before being released on bail in 2015. He contested the 2023 Assembly election from Gangavathi in Koppal district and after his victory, built a house there.

As soon as news came out that the Supreme Court had allowed Janardhana Reddy to enter Ballari, his supporters celebrated bursting firecracker and cutting cakes. They also offered 101 coconuts at the Kanakadurga temple and held banners saying ‘Boss is Back’ and raised slogans in his favour.

In his first reaction after the ruling, Janardhana Reddy said, “I had been portrayed in bad light and now I can go back to my hometown. The people of Ballari and Goddess Durga are taking me back. In (Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah’s home district, there is Goddess Chamundi and in my home district, there is Goddess Durga. Now, we will have to wait and see what the ‘Mahishasura Mardini’ will do”.

After Janardhana Reddy’s exit from Ballari, the BJP has fared badly in the district and Reddy’s re-entry could revitalise the party. It is said that he will visit the district on Thursday and his supporters are making preparations for a grand welcome.