Bengaluru: A blockbuster wedding of mining baron and former minister B. Janardhan Reddy's daughter marked by unmitigated opulence took place at the sprawling Palace Grounds here Wednesday, raising a firestorm of controversy.
The five-day extravaganza with ceremonies held against the backdrop of lavish settings concluded Wednesday as the ostentatious wedding stirred a huge row over its timing when people across the country are reeling under cash crunch after demonetization of high value currencies.
Palace grounds that plays host to grand weddings 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 TirumalaTirupati temple were erected at the venue, along with the replica of the homes of both of bride and the groom.
Pre-wedding events have been on with equal extravagance at the venue for the past five days. Artistes and dancers from different parts of the country, including Sambadancers from Brazil, were part of one such bash last night.
A portion of the venue set up for the wedding.The first glimpse of the ostentatious wedding camewith the invitation box with a LCD screen playing a video, where Reddy and family were seen inviting guests, lip syncing to a song.
Thousands of people attended the event Wednesday and were given saplings along with sweets as a return gift.
It is said about 50,000 people had been invited for the wedding and people were also ferried from Reddy's bastion, mine-rich Ballari.
Reddy and family dressed up as "royals" in gold and diamond had left no stone unturned for the wedding.
Most utensils for the wedding rituals were either gold or silver and entire venue was equipped with air conditioners.
While overflowing fountains added to the glitter, orchids and other ornamental flowers were arranged fancily.
The who's who of the Kannada and Telugu film industry attended the wedding ceremony and wished the newly wed.
Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala, home minister G. Parameshwara, energy minister D.K. Shiva Kumar, transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa were among prominent leaders who attended.
Even as there were reports that BJP leaders would stay away from the wedding that has come at a time when prime minister Narendra Modi has announced "war" on black money, there was a lineup of leaders of the party at the event.
Equally surprising was the attendance of senior Congress ministers.
Congress had waged a political war against Reddy and his brothers by staging a padayatra till Ballari. They had alleged that he had created "republic of Ballari" and the then BJP government had no authority there.
Reddy, who had served as a minister in the BJP government,is out on bail after serving three years term in an illegal mining case.
(With agency inputs)
Promising to exchange notes, 2 extort man of Rs 50L
Hyderabad: Two persons, one of them posing as a policeman, allegedly extorted Rs 50 lakh in demonetised currency notes from a man in Rajendra Nagar area here, police said today.
The man from whom the money was looted is a friend of a businessman, police said.
A middleman promised the complainant that he would arrange for exchange of Rs 50 lakh in old currency notes outside the banking system.
Police said that for the promised exchange, the middleman asked the complainant to take Rs 50 lakh in old currency notes in the latter's four-wheeler from Secunderabad to Attapur area last night.
On the way, two persons on a motorbike followed the four-wheeler and once it reached at an isolated place, they overtook the car and stopped it.
"They demanded from him to show the ID proof, and questioned him on the huge amount of cash he was carrying," Assistant Commissioner of Police (Rajendra Nagar Division) K Ganga Reddy said.
"They further threatened him that 200 per cent penalty will be imposed on him. Besides, a case will be filed against him and asked him to give the cash bag to them and leave the place. When he resisted, the duo snatched away the bag and fled," the ACP said based on the complaint.
"One of the bike-borne persons told the victim that he is a police constable and checked the four-wheeler and took away the cash bag," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shamshabad Zone) P V Padmaja told PTI.
A case under IPC section 384 (extortion) was filed and further investigation was on to nab the accused, she said.
The DCP appealed to the citizens not to fall into the trap of such rackets which claim of changing the old currency notes with new ones outside the banking system.
"If anyone has old currency notes in high value they should directly go and deposit in banks or post offices rather than going to the middlemen...and inform the police about such activities," ACP Reddy said.
(With agency inputs)
