HYDERABAD: The Special Court for CBI cases reserved its orders on Friday on discharge petitions filed by Y Srilakshmi, Principal Secretary, Mines, erstwhile State of AP, director Mines VD Rajagopal, former IAS officer Krupanandan, then Minister for Mines and Industry Sabita Indra Reddy, former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy’s PA Mehpaj Ali Khan in the illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
The petitioners were accused in the case under different provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. According to the CBI, OMC is accused of changing mining lease boundary markings between AP and Karnataka, as well as engaging in illegal mining in the Bellary Reserve Forest area, which is spread between the Bellary district of Karnataka and the Anantapur district of AP, and exporting iron ore to countries including China and Singapore.
The CBI’s counsel informed the court that Srilakshmi, Rajagopal, and others were hand in glove with with Gali Janardhan Reddy and played a crucial role in allotting the mining lease to Obulapuram Mining Company.
Counsel for the petitioners said that the CBI was attempting to construct a case where none existed. “On the one hand, CBI claims that the AP mining leases were ineffective since no mineral was collected from them. On the other side, it claims that Srilakshmi and others conspired with OMC managers to issue such an ineffective mining lease. “Who would pay a large bribe for a worthless mine,” they stated. Following a hearing of both parties, Chief Judge of the Principal Special Court for CBI Cases Ch Ramesh Babu deferred his decision till October 17, 2022.