I-T dept raids mining baron Janardhan Reddy's offices in Bellary post daughter's Rs 500 cr wedding

The Income Tax department on Monday conducted raids in the offices of mining baron G Janardhan Reddy in Karnataka’s Bellary city following the lavish wedding of his daughter earlier this month. The wedding is said to have cost Rs 500 crore.

The raids were conducted at the offices of Obulapuram Mining Company and Associated Mining Company, Reddy’s iron ore mining businesses.
Reddy faces charges of corruption over alleged illegal iron ore mining in the district.

On Monday, the Income Tax department also conducted surveys on at least ten locations of high-end event management firms, catering and multi-media service providers who were engaged for the extravagant wedding of daughter of Karnataka’s former BJP minister G Janardhan Reddy.

Officials said that taxmen visited seven locations here and three in Hyderabad of those event management companies which were given contracts to give a blockbuster look for the wedding of Bramhani last week here. Reddy is also a mining baron.

They said the department, after receiving reports of high spending for the event, initiated the action and is checking the account books, payment receipts and contract portfolios of these firms who specialise in creating special ambience and customised display for high-end spending clientele during their special events like weddings.

The firms include those providing special Swiss tents, expensive cutlery, multi-cuisine food and pyrotechnic dealers who brought a lavish style to the event.

Under the survey action, tax sleuths visit business premises of the trader/operator and make analysis of the available stock and record it whereas under search operations both residential and business premises are visited by the taxman and seizure of cash and incriminating documents, if any, is effected.

Once the scrutiny of accounts and contract books is done, they said, further action of issuing notices to investigate tax evasion by both the contractor and the contractee will be undertaken.

The multi-crore wedding was in the spotlight recently for its sheer opulence and extravagance at a time when numerous people were facing a cash crunch and had to queue up outside banks and ATMs to withdraw their hard-earned money in the wake of the demonetisation of the two large currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000.

The five-day extravaganza was held at the Palace grounds here with ceremonies held against the backdrop of lavish settings.

The mining baron’s event presented almost a surreal picture as Bramhani entered into wedlock with Rajeev Reddy, a leading businessman’s son from Andhra Pradesh, with rituals conducted by a battery of priests from the famous Tirumala temple.

The grandeur of the wedding was such that huge sets replicating Vijaya Vitthala temple of Hampi, the seat of the glorious erstwhile Vijayanagara empire, and Tirumala Tirupati temple were erected at the venue, along with the replica of the homes of both of bride and the groom.

(With inputs from PTI)