G. Janardhana Reddy

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This section is an excerpt from Operation Kamala § lead section.[ edit ]
Operation Kamala, also known as Operation Lotus is a term coined in 2008, when India's former minister G. Janardhana Reddy in the state of Karnataka, used all possible tricks (persuade, bribe, punishment, divide) to secure support from legislators bypassing the anti-defection law, so as to take the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) past the majority number. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] Operation Lotus refers to "poaching" or "bribing" of MLAs and MPs of other parties by the BJP, mainly of their rival the Indian National Congress party (INC), often to form government in states where they do not have the majority. [22]

Illegal Mining

In July 2011, the Lokayukta of Karnataka, Santosh Hegde, published a report on the illegal mining activities in the Bellary region. Reddy was accused of completely rigging iron ore mining in this area and defrauding the government. Directorate General of Income Tax Investigation officials had clues to tax evasion and found that Reddy had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with a one-dollar company in Singapore to camouflage the company's income suppression. They raided the place along with other investigative agencies and formed a report which served as the basis of the report on illegal mining. Reddy is said to have designed a "Zero-Risk system" of iron ore mining, where he seamlessly provided protection to unauthorized and unaccounted mining, with active connivance from government officials at all levels. The rule of the iron ore mafia under his command was called the "Republic of Bellary" in which no external control or governance mechanism had any effect. [23] [24]

Bribery

The CBI is investigating the alleged bribing of the Hyderabad Special Court judge T. Pattabhirama Rao by Reddy's family members (G.Somashekar Reddy & H.Suresh Babu) in order to secure his bail in the Obulapuram Mining Company case. Further investigations by CBI implicated others, including a retired judge T.V. Chalapathi Rao, in the "Cash for Bail" scandal. [25] The IT department issued notices and Reddy provided an explanation to the department but these explanations were rejected by the CIT Appeals. He preferred to appeal in all the matters before the Hon'ble ITAT and the Hon'ble Tribunal has allowed all appeals in his favour by dismissing the stand taken by the IT department. [26] [27]

Daughter's Wedding

Reddy was criticised over the lavish wedding of his daughter, Brahmani, which was held in Palace Grounds, Bangalore. He allegedly spent 500 crores ($71 million) for his daughter's wedding. Brahmani married a 23-year-old MBA graduate who hails from a family operating gold mines in South Africa, Tanzania and granite marble businesses in Turkey. [28] [29] [30] [31]

Arrest

Reddy was arrested on 5 September 2011 by the CBI, and taken to Hyderabad, Telangana. [32] He is accused of involvement in illegal mining of iron ore in Bellary in Karnataka and Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh. This investigation is the culmination of a recommendation to the Income Tax Department and CBI by the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister K. Rosaiah and is not directly related to the findings of Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde. [33] Once the CBI Court heard the lawyers' representations, he along with his brother-in-law, B. V. Srinivas Reddy, was remanded to judicial custody and sent to Chanchalguda Central Jail. [34] The CBI also arrested senior officers of the IAS and IRS during ongoing investigations. [35] [36] [37] On 4 August 2012, a CBI court extended the judicial custody of Janardhana Reddy and four others arrested in the illegal mining case until 7 September. [38] On 21 January 2015, the Supreme Court granted his bail. The Supreme court agrees to hear Janardhana Reddy's appeal to visit Ballari on 24 May 2021. [39]

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References

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  2. ↑ Singh, Dhrishti (13 May 2023). "पूर्व मंत्री की नई पार्टी ने पहले ही चुनाव में दर्ज की जीत". BiharBandhu.in. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  3. ↑ Yardley, Jim (18 August 2010). "Despite Swirl of Scandals, Indian Mining Bosses Thrive". The New York Times . Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  4. ↑ "Bellary barons, Karnataka kings". The Telegraph, Calcutta, India. 8 November 2009.
  5. ↑ "The Reddy Flag Over Bangalore". Tehelka.
  6. ↑ "Once 'her sons', Sushma now distances herself from Reddys". India Today.
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  8. ↑ "karnataka: Reddys vs BSY: BSY looks cornered, Reddy's muscle in". Outlook Magazine.
  9. ↑ "Politics: BJP: Shobha Karandlaje, BSY's points-woman, is central to the crisis". Outlook Magazine.
  10. ↑ "A Rich Vein of Avarice: Older hands shaped the cunning bluster of Jaganmohan, the Reddys". Outlook Magazine.
  11. ↑ "Rosaiah gets Janardhana Reddy to handle to beat Jagan". The Pioneer.
  12. ↑ "The Man From Kadappa". The Outlook.
  13. ↑ "Mining baron Janardhana Reddy launches new party 'Kalyana Rajya Pragati Paksha'". Deccan Herald. 25 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
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  15. ↑ The Hindu (25 March 2024). "Karnataka MLA Janardhana Reddy merges his party with BJP". Archived from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Karnataka MLA Janardhana Reddy joins BJP, says 'don't need any positions'". 25 March 2024.
  17. ↑ Aji, Sowmya (16 May 2018). "After falling short of numbers, BJP revisits 'Operation Kamala' of 2008". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  18. ↑ "DH Deciphers | What is Operation Kamala 2.0?". Deccan Herald. 15 January 2019. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  19. ↑ "What is Operation Kamala ? Will BJP manage a repeat of 2008?". The Statesman. 16 May 2018. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "'Operation Kamala' 2.0 in Karnataka: Union Minister behind efforts to bring down Congress-JDS government, claim sources". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  21. ↑ Aji, Sowmya (15 May 2009). "BJP's 'poach-all' operation in Karnataka". India Today. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  22. ↑ "op-lotus-in-punjab-mlas-offered-25-crores-each-aap-minister-claims".
  23. ↑ "In the 'Republic of Bellary', a minister's 'muscle power'". The Indian Express. 1 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "Report details Reddys' rule over 'Republic of Bellary'". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 28 July 2011.
  25. ↑ "CBI intensifies probe into Reddy bail scandal". The Deccan Herald. 3 June 2012.
  26. ↑ "Larger design in cash-for-bail scam?". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 18 June 2012.
  27. ↑ Mondal, Sudipto (18 June 2012). "How mining mafia established a "Republic of Fear" in Bellary". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  28. ↑ "Images of India's huge and controversial wedding". BBC News. 16 November 2016.
  29. ↑ Molloy, Mark (16 November 2016). "Lavish wedding for Indian politician's daughter causes uproar". The Telegraph.
  30. ↑ "In Pics: The Big Fat Reddy Wedding in Bengaluru, Photo Gallery".
  31. ↑ Deepika, K. c (15 November 2016). "Lavish setting for Reddy's daughter's wedding". The Hindu.
  32. ↑ Bureaus, Our. "In pre-dawn swoop, CBI arrests Janardhan Reddy, kin in Bellary". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  33. ↑ "Karnataka mining baron Janardhana Reddy arrested". Mid Day.
  34. ↑ "CBI arrests Janardhana Reddy, Srinivas Reddy". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 5 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "Rajagopal has role in 'benami' mining: CBI". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 14 December 2011.
  36. ↑ "Srilakshmi sent to Chanchalguda jail". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2 December 2011.
  37. ↑ "Rajagopal, Sri Lakshmi accused of fraud". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 24 November 2011.
  38. ↑ "Janardhana Reddy's judicial custody extended to Sept. 7". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 4 August 2012.
  39. ↑ "The Supreme court agreed to hear Janardhana Reddy's appeal". Hospet.online. Ballari, India. 24 May 2012.
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Gali Janardhana Reddy
Galijanardhanreddy.jpg
Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
13 May 2023