VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Monday sought to know if the State government wants to hand over the investigation into the illegal limestone mining case involving former Gurajala TDP MLA Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao to the CBI. Reserving the power of handing over the case to the CBI to the State government, the High Court said that it would pass the order on Wednesday.
The CID, which probed the allegations of illegal mining against Srinivasa Rao, submitted its report to the High Court. The CID informed the High Court that the witnesses had deposed about the complicity of Srinivasa Rao.
The High Court said that going by the enormity of the illegal mining, which was confirmed by the CID in its report, the Enforcement Directorate could also be roped into the probe against the ex-MLA. The High Court, which asked the government to come up with its response on handing over the case to the CBI, reserved the order for Wednesday.
It may be recalled that the High Court heard the case based on a petition filed by former MLC TGV Krishna Reddy three years ago. Last year, the High Court rapped the government for its inaction to curb illegal mining in Gurajala area. With the then opposition YSRC too taking up the issue, the government ordered a CID probe into the allegations of illegal mining in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal, Kesanupalli and Nadikudi of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur district.