HYDERABAD: Did Gali Janardhan Reddy launder money by using benami companies, bogus loans, creditors, investors and foreign capital, especially by inflating the balance sheet and profit and loss accounts of individuals and companies in his group? Answers to questions like this and many others, particularly the role of certain politicians and bureaucrats, is likely to emerge during the six-day grilling of the mining baron and his brother-in-law B Srinivas Reddy.In an upbeat mood after the court granted them custody of the duo, CBI officials wasted no time in getting down to business and began questioning them in the CBI office at Koti Tuesday afternoon.Sources told Express CBI will be grilling the Reddys on the acquisition of huge properties in the names of various individuals including Janardhan Reddy’s brothers, key employees of his companies, business associates, relatives and in laws as it has reportedly come to the notice of the investigating agency that the Reddys acquired huge properties in Bangalore, Bellary, Hyderabad and Nandyal among other places.Sources said the agency is keen on getting information on the role of two politicians and two bureaucrats among others down the line, as to who facilitated Janardhan Reddy in obtaining licences and carrying out illegal mining.Another key aspect of the questioning is how and with whose assistance iron ore was illegally transported from Karnataka and Anantapur to Krishnapatnam port from where it was sent to other countries including China. ‘’Without the knowledge of police and revenue officials, this could not have been possible,’’ they said.Sources said soon after arresting the Reddys, the CBI contacted officials of the investigating wing of the Income Tax Department in Bangalore and obtained all information they had on the Obulapuram Mining Company.Details like the shareholders in the company, other associates, role of family members in OMC were shared with CBI.During one IT raid in Karnataka in August 2010, officials stumbled upon documents that showed that the Reddys had invested thousands of crores in some companies in Indonesia and Singapore and also found documents pertaining to super luxury cars and helicopters owned by them.“The IT department shared all information about certain bogus companies floated by the Reddys in the Bahamas, Mauritius and other places,’’ sources said. Besides, the CBI will also focus on the affairs of Gali Lakshmi Aruna (GLA), a company floated by Janardhan Reddy’s wife, which was reportedly involved in exporting iron ore to foreign countries by underquoting the prices and flouting other norms amounting to violation of FEMA.It is learnt that the Reddys also own a steel plant in Indonesia and more details are likely to emerge during the interrogation of Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy.
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