Alliance of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA)

Daily Californian
"Reddy Gets Eight Years: Protesters Dissatisfied"
June 22, 2001
by Christine Lagorio
http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=5678

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, a 64-year-old Berkeley landlord convicted of bringing young Indian girls into the country for labor and sex, was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison.

Citing the victims' severe psychological damage, U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Armstrong extended Reddy's sentence one and a half years from the original plea agreement, negotiated in March by Reddy's attorneys and federal prosecutors.

AsianWeek
"Reddy Sentenced"
June 22 - 28, 2001
by Ji Hyun Lim
http://www.asianweek.com/2001_06_22/bay2_reddysentenced.html

After a year of litigation, the case concerning the death of 17-year-old Chanti Pratipatti has come to a close. The man indirectly responsible for her death, Lakireddy Bali Reddy, was finally sentenced to 97 months — just over 8 years — in prison, and will pay $2 million in restitution to three victims and the family of Pratipatti.

Agence France Presse
"Judge throws out plea bargain in India prostitution ring"
June 20, 2001
by Glenn Chapman

OAKLAND, California, June 19: A federal judge on Tuesday rejected as too lenient a carefully crafted plea bargain negotiated with a wealthy Indian landlord suspected of importing young girls from his homeland for sex.

Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong said her conscience forbade her from allowing Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 64, to serve only 6 1/2 years in prison and pay two million dollars in restitution.

Berkeley Daily Planet
"Many applaud judge’s ruling"
June 20, 2001
by Daniela Mohor
http://www.berkeleydaily.org/article.cfm? archiveDate=06-20-01&storyID=5512

OAKLAND – Members of the organizations involved in the campaign for a just punishment for Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy reacted positively to U.S. District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong’s decision Tuesday to sentence the Berkeley landlord to eight years in prison.

Daily Californian
"Reddy to be Sentenced Today: Lawyer’s Defense Utilizes Cultural Context"
June 19, 2001
by Virginia Griffey
http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=5669

The attorney for a Berkeley landlord convicted of illegally importing young Indian girls for sex and labor will argue a "cultural defense" today, saying that sex with girls is acceptable in India.

The argument immediately offended Indian American groups, who have said the claim is inaccurate because it is illegal for minors to marry in India.

Berkeley Daily Planet
"Group wants stiffer penalty for Reddy"
June 16, 2001
by Daniela Mohor
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm? archiveDate=06-16-01&storyID=5462

As the sentencing of Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy approaches, an increasing number of community members are joining the protest against the prosecution’s recommendation to submit Reddy to a minimal punishment of six years in prison and a $2 million fine.

India-West
"Landlord's Sons Face New Charges: New sex, immigration charges threaten to add decades to sentence if Berkeley landlord's sons found guilty"
April 13, 2001
by Viji Sundaram

In an unexpected turn, the sons of Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Balireddy were charged earlier this week with a total of 21 additional criminal counts, including one he pleaded guilty to last month: importing young girls into the country for sex.

San Jose Mercury News
"Lakireddy brothers indicted on broader sexual exploitation charges"
April 11, 2001
by Sandra Gonzales

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ In a new turn in a case that stunned the Bay Area, two brothers charged in an illegal immigration smuggling scheme were indicted Tuesday on new counts that allege a broader scope of sexual exploitation with additional victims.

Vijay Kumar Lakireddy, 31, and Prasad Lakireddy, 43, both free on bond, had been scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Oakland for a status hearing on the case when Assistant U.S. Attorney John Kennedy announced the superseding 21-count indictment.

Rediff
"He Chronicles the Silicon Raj"
April 5, 2001
by Nirshan Perera and Rick Rocamora
http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/apr/05uspic8.htm

Demonstrators protest in front of the Madras Pasand Cuisine restaurant in Berkeley, owned by Lakireddy Bali Reddy.

Reddy pleaded guilty this March to charges of conspiring since 1986 to illegally bring aliens into the United States from India by submitting false visa applications. He was also charged with transporting minors in foreign commerce for sexual activity. The investigation was prompted by the death of a young Indian girl brought to the US using fraudulent immigration papers.

Pacific News Service
"Scandal Brings Out New Voices Expressing an Old Ideal"
Mar 20, 2001
by Raj Jayadev
http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html? article_id=3b37218ab688e2c7afa28ff2e7454f7c

An ugly scandal involving a wealthy Indian businessman "importing" girls to work for little or no money, and to serve him sexually, seems to have come to an end with a plea of guilty to illegal immigration charges. But the remarkable effects on the Indian-American community, especially the women, will last for a long time to come.

India-West
"Reddy Pleads Guilty: Berkeley, Calif., landlord pleads guilty to importing young girls from Andhra Pradesh for sex"
Mar 16, 2001
by Viji Sundaram

In a plea deal he struck with the U.S. government, Pasand restaurant owner Lakireddy Balireddy pleaded guilty last week to importing young girls from his native village in Andhra Pradesh to the U.S. for sex, including one as young as 13.

Daily Californian
"Landlord Reddy Pleads Guilty to Felony Charges In Federal Court: Defendant Strikes Deal, Gives Up Right to Trial"
March 8, 2001
by Meredith Mandell
http://www.dailycal.org/article.php?id=4870

OAKLAND -- Lakireddy Bali Reddy, on the brink of tears, pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally importing young Indian girls for sex in federal court.

Putting an end to a two-year federal investigation, the wealthiest landlord in Berkeley confessed to four felony charges, including conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, transporting a minor for sex and tax evasion.

San Francisco Chronicle
"Guilty Plea in Smuggling of Girls: Landlord gets 5 years in prison"
March 8, 2001
by Matthew Yi
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/03/08/MNS221725.DTL

Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to smuggling teenage girls from India for sex -- including one as young as 13 -- in a deal that calls for him to spend at least five years in federal prison.

San Jose Mercury News
"Landlord pleads guilty to charges of bring young Indian girls for sex, cheap labor"
March 8, 2001
by Lisa Fernandez

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ In a weak, shaky voice, a 63-year-old Berkeley landlord pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that he brought young girls from India for sex and cheap labor, and then apologized to his family for embarrassing them.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy's first public admission of guilt is a milestone in a tantalizing case that sent shock waves through Silicon Valley, and his apology was long awaited by women's groups and immigration rights advocates.

Contra Costa Times
"Landlord pleads guilty to importing underage girls for sex"
March 8, 2001
by Leslie Fulbright

OAKLAND, Calif. _ A wealthy Berkeley landlord wept as authorities led him out of a federal courtroom Wednesday, moments after he admitted he imported underage girls from his native India for sex.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 63, meekly waved good-bye to his family after a federal judge ordered him jailed.

IndoLink
"Reddy pleaded guilty to all counts in court"
March 7, 2001
by Peta Cooper
http://www.indolink.com/News/NRI/news_030701_193556.html

March 7th Oakland: After a year in a half of going back and forth to court, Lakireddy Bali Reddy has pleaded guilty to all four counts against him.

The day started off with Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong going over the charges against Reddy. She explained the "C" codes and the affects behind the charges of the counts. Count 1 included bringing people over to the US illegally. Count 2 and 3 was aiding and abetting minors for illegal sex, and knowing they were minors at the time. The last count had to do with false tax statements Reddy made in 1998, saying he didn't have any overseas bank accounts, later it was proven that he did.

KTVU Channel 2
"Reddy"
March 7, 2001

START: 3.49

A U.S landlord is back in federal court this hour for bringing in an immigrant and using her for sex. Mark Curtis reports.

Visual - Laki Reddy Baki Reddy, suspect.

Interview - Nithya Ramanathan , "South Asian Taking Action", glad Reddy might spend five years in prison.

END: 6.11

Agence France Presse
"Indian businessman pleads guilty to importing girls for sex"
March 8, 2001
by Glenn Chapman

DATELINE: OAKLAND, California, March 7

A wealthy Indian businessman wept as he was taken into custody Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of illegally bringing young girls from his homeland to California for sex.

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, 63, was ordered to pay two million dollars in restitution to a group of East Indian women he reportedly imported to work as sex slaves and low-wage employees in his businesses.

KRON Channel 4 Newscenter Four At Four
March 7, 2001, Wednesday PM

START: 6.50

Reddy. Berkeley landlord reversed his plea to guilty of bringing under aged girls into the country for sex, as well as tax evasion/fraud.

Visual - Reddy.

Press Conference - Ted Cassman, Reddy's Attorney, comments on sentencing.

Visual - file footage of case.
Press Conference - Michael Rubin, victim's attorney, comments on the plea.

Jinn
"Distant Tragedy Unifies Indian Americans"
February 7, 2001
by Raj Jayadev
http://www.pacificnews.org/jinn/stories/6.29/010207-distant.html

The Indian community in the United States divides along established lines of religion and class, but also very sharply between generations. But all these rifts disappeared as members of each group realized, in the aftermath of the terrible earthquake in their homeland, that they shared a strong common bond. PNS contributor Raj Jayadev is the Silicon Valley editor for YO! Youth Outlook, a publication by and about Bay Area youth published by Pacific News Service.