G. Janardhana Reddy

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Operation Kamala (also spelled Operation Kamal, and sometimes referred to as Operation Lotus) is a term coined in 2008 to describe a political strategy used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Indian state of Karnataka. The operation was led by former minister G. Janardhana Reddy and involved efforts to secure support from legislators of opposition parties. This approach enabled the BJP to bypass the provisions of the anti-defection law and achieve a majority in the state assembly. [23] [24]

The term "Kamala" (or "Kamal") refers to the lotus, which is the electoral symbol of the BJP. Operation Kamala is commonly used in Indian political discussions to describe strategies involving the inducement or persuasion of MLAs and MPs from other parties—particularly the Indian National Congress (INC)—to support the BJP in forming or maintaining power in state legislatures where it does not have an outright majority. [25]

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. [26] [27]

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. [28] 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. [29] [30] 132456821541

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. [31] [32] [33] [34]

Arrest

Reddy was arrested on 5 September 2011 by the CBI, and taken to Hyderabad, Telangana. [35] 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. [36] 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. [37] The CBI also arrested senior officers of the IAS and IRS during ongoing investigations. [38] [39] [40] 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. [41] On 21 January 2015, the Supreme Court granted his bail. The Supreme court agreed to hear Janardhana Reddy's appeal to visit Ballari on 24 May 2021. [42]

The CBI court in Hyderabad on 6 May 2025 convicted Gali Janardhan Reddy and three others in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal mining case. After a long 13-year trial, the court sentenced them to seven years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each. [43] [44] [45]

References

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Gali Janardhana Reddy
Member of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
In office
13 May 2023 6 May 2025