HYDERABAD: Scam-accused IAS officer Y Srilakshmi’s nightmare continued Thursday, with the government placing her under suspension and she being whisked away to the Chanchalguda prison for her judicial custody until December 12.
The suspension was expected, and mandated by the government’s rules of service.
An IAS officer is liable for suspension if he or she is in the custody of an investigative agency for more than 48 hours. Srilakshmi was arrested Monday on charges of rigging the grant of mining leases to the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) so that it could mine iron ore and spirit it away to foreign destinations.
Duly, the suspension orders were issued Wednesday night. Chief secretary Pankaj Dwivedi said: “Orders were issued last night suspending her. All rules that govern suspension of an IAS officer have been followed in Srilakshmi’s case.” Principal secretary (health) K Ratnakishore will hold additional charge of her post as commissioner of health and family welfare.
Srilakshmi’s transfer to Chanchalguda too had been on the cards with her three days in CBI custody ending Thursday. She moved for bail but magistrate Naga Maruthi Sharma of the special CBI court reserved his orders on her petiton for Friday.
Srilakshmi’s dread of going to prison has been evident ever since her arrest Monday.
This was again clear during proceedings in the court of Naga Maruthi Sharma Thursday.
Before hearing the CBI counsel’s argument against bail for her, the judge asked her, “Do you want to say anything?” “I want to go to the CBI office, sir’’ she replied.
But Chanchalguda was where she was taken. She was lodged in a spartan barracks with 10 other inmates. She will sleep on the floor and have a blanket for comfort. If it’s any help, a prison official said, the women’s barracks at Chanchalguda are not as bad as the men’s.
The IAS officer was produced in the CBI special court at around 3.30 p.m. Looking much the worse for wear after three days of questioning by CBI personnel, she implored the magistrate with folded hands and broke into tears as it was announced that she would be taken to the Chanchalguda prison now that her court-mandated time in CBI custody has ended.
Opposing her bail plea, CBI said that she was in a position to influence witnesses in the case and tamper with evidence if set at large. She had reportedly stonewalled CBI queries with replies like ‘I don’t know’ and ‘there was pressure from the top’.