Hyderabad, Nov 17 (PTI): The bail pleas of mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law BV Srinivas Reddy were today rejected by a local court; the third time since their arrest in the alleged illegal mining case, involving the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).

Janardhana Reddy, who owns the OMC and the company's Managing Director Srinivas Reddy had on November 8 moved bail applications in the Special Court for CBI cases here for the third time after their arrests on September 5 on the grounds that majority of the investigation into the case was over and they were in remand for over two months and would not influence the witnesses.

The CBI, probing illegal mining and irregularities in allotment of leases to OMC, had arrested the Reddys on September 5 from Bellary in Karnataka and the duo are presently in judicial custody till November 28 and lodged at the Chanchalguda Central Prison here.

The central agency had earlier opposed the fresh bail petitions of the Reddys expressing apprehensions that they might tamper with evidence if they are released. The agency had also informed the court that investigation of the case was at a crucial stage and the accused could influence witnesses.

Referring to the ground cited by Reddys that they were entitled to bail because the maximum of 60 days for filing chargesheet had lapsed since their arrest, the CBI had informed the court that section 409 of IPC (criminal breach of trust) was added in the FIR subsequently which gave the agency the liberty to fulfil the task in 90 days.

The court had earlier rejected their bail pleas on September 13 and had handed them over to CBI custody for interrogation till September 19.

On September 30, the court while again dismissing the bail petitions of Reddys had also dismissed the agency's petition which sought custody of both the accused for nine more days.