The incarcerated former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy’s close associate Mehfuz Ali Khan was listed by the CBI as accused no: 7 in the OMC mining case. The CBI today in Bangalore after interrogating Ali Khan has listed him as an accused. The CBI filed a memo in the Special CBI court in Bangalore, in this regard.

The CBI took custody of the former Minister in Hyderabad and was transferred to Bangalore on March 2. The Bangalore Special CBI court ordered judicial custody up to March 24, for Gali and his associate, in the OMC case. The court refused to pay heed to the CBI for extending the CBI custody of both citing that more information needed to be obtained.

Earlier the CBI stated that the state government cleared the mining lease and handed over two stretches of 68 hectares and 39 hectares in D Harihal mandal to OMC, in its counter opposing the bail petition of former mines director V D Rajagopal, who is accused number three in the illegal mining scam. Rajagopal, also former Director, Mines and Geology, was managing director of Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation from 2004-09, during the tenure of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.  OMC is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings in Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border area and of illegal mining in Bellary Reserve Forest area. (With inputs from internet- AarKay)