The wife of jailed mining baron and former tourism and infrastructure minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and co-accused in the illegal mining scam, Mrs Aruna Lakshmi, visited him along with their son Kiruti Reddy at the Central prison at Parapanna Agrahara on Monday afternoon around 1pm.
She had sought prior permission for an ‘interview’ with her husband from the prison officers and spent an hour with him. She was escorted by their relative Prakash Reddy, who brings home-cooked food for Mr Reddy every day. “The family had lunch together,” said an official source. Known for wearing heavy jewellery till her husband’s arrest in September 2011 by the CBI, Mrs Reddy on Monday arrived at the jail dressed in an ordinary sari without any jewellery. She reportedly broke down after meeting her husband, who also looked visibly upset.
“She tried to cover her face with her sari to hide her tears. The couple looked emotionally distraught,” the officer added. Though Mrs Reddy is a co-accused, the CBI has reportedly not found enough evidence of her involvement in the multi-crore scam. “She may have been used as a front,” said a CBI officer. Mr Reddy performed a special puja at a temple in the prison on Ugadi and distributed prasadam to prisoners. The puja was performed by a life convict – Damodar Bhatt from Udupi.