The mining baron, Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy, got a breather from the AP high court which on Monday stayed all further proceedings on a probe ordered by the Centre into the alleged illegal mining operations of Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC).
Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy allowed a miscellaneous petition filed by the OMC.
The judge ruled that the interim stay would continue till the disposal of the writ petitions in this regard. He dismissed a CBI petition against an earlier interim stay on the probe.
The judge observed that public interest will not be affected if the CBI was not permitted to conduct a parallel investigation to find out whether the OMC and Bellary Iron Ore Private Limited have crossed their boundaries and are carrying on illegal mining.
Referring to the top court direction which permitted the OMC to carry out mining operations, the judge pointed out if the Supreme Court felt that it would be against public interest, the mining company would not have been given permission.
The judge said that when the government itself acknowledges the existence of a boundary dispute between Bellary Iron Ore Private Limited and OMC, it cannot accuse the petitioner (OMC) of indulging in illegal mining activity till the dispute is resolved.
The court was of the opinion that if the CBI is permitted to continue its investigation, it would cause irreparable injury to the petitioner as the boundary dispute is yet to be resolved.