The HC is all set to pronounce its order on a criminal petition by former tourism minister G. Janardhan Reddy, presently in CBI custody in Bengaluru, on Thursday at 2.30 pm.
Reddy had sought the quashing of the CBI probe against him and several others including his wife pertaining to the activities of two of his firms — Associated Mining Company(AMC) and Deccan Mining Syndicate. The CBI had registered the FIR in October 2011. Reddy had sought an interim stay on the probe on the ground that a petition by former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on the report on illegal mining submitted by former Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, is still pending in court.
CJ hits out at press council chief
Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen has said that the remarks made by Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju on the incidents of violence involving advocates, cops and journalists on March 2, aggravated the situation and sought to know on what basis Justice Katju had made the statement. The Press Council chief while condemning the attack on journalists on March 2, had called for severe punishment for lawyers who allegedly took the law into their own hands and attacked media persons.
While hearing a batch of PILs by advocates against the state, media and the police, Justice Sen said, “Did Justice Katju take instructions before making the statement? On what basis did he say this? He was my Chief Justice at Delhi High Court. He never took any instructions from me either,” the CJ said.
The CJ suggested to the advocates to file a single and comprehensive petition by placing all material on record. He also directed the electronic media to produce the unedited version of the clippings taken by them on March 2 by the next date of hearing. The matter has been adjourned to Monday.