New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday distanced itself from Karnatka's powerful mining barons and former ministers, the Reddy brothers, one of whom was arrested in an illegal mining case.


Former Karnataka tourism minister G. Janardhana Reddy was arrested by the CBI.

While senior party leaders termed the arrest as a "personal affair" of the Reddys, some others went to the extent of expressing hope that they will prove their "innocence".

After Congress leader Digvijay Singh alleged links between BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj and the Reddys, the Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha said she would be happy if her links with the Reddys is probed.

"I welcome Digvijay Singh's demand that my association with Reddy brothers should be probed. Only then truth will come out and I will get justice. I am putting on record that I have no commercial association with the Reddy brothers," Sushma told reporters.

The three Reddy brothers -- G. Janardhana, G. Karunakara and G. Somashekara, are believed to be close to Swaraj.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) early Monday arrested Janardhana Reddy in an illegal mining case registered against his Obbalapuram Mining Company from Karnataka.
OMC managing director and Janardhana Reddy's brother-in-law B. Srinivasa Reddy was also arrested.

Senior party leader S. S. Ahluwalia meanwhile said "The Reddy brothers can defend themselves as these arrests happened due to their business interests."

He made it clear that the party had nothing to do with it.

"The raids and arrests are a personal matter of the Bellary brothers. The party has got nothing to do with it," he said.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar expressed apprehensions over the probe by the CBI, while party leader Balbir Punj said he was sure the Reddys will "prove their innocence".

"Had it been a court order it would have been a different issue, but what has been the basis of the CBI probe we will see that and then we will comment," Javadekar said.

"We have full faith in the objectivity and fairness of our judicial system and we are sure that the Reddy brothers will be able to prove their innocence," said Punj on the same lines.

"We had seen various reports like the CAG (Comptroller Auditor General) report and the Shunglu committee report in Delhi on corruption but nobody has heard of CBI going and knocking at the doors of (Delhi Chief Minister) Sheila Dikshit," he added.

Dhananjay Kumar, another BJP leader, said: "If the CBI comes to the conclusion that it has to apprehend somebody as part of its investigations, then it is well within its rights to do so. The agency is carrying out the orders of the Andhra Pradesh High Court."

Kumar said the mining operations carried out by the Reddy brothers were their private business and has nothing to do with the party.

On the other hand, Congress general secretary B.K. Hariprasad said: "The CBI should expand the investigation on the illegal mining activity in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. This has been the demand of the Congress in Karnataka right from day one. CBI should find out who all have looted the national wealth."