HC reserves verdict on Srilakshmi’s petition

The Telangana High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a quash petition filed by senior IAS officer Y. Srilakshmi, who sought to set aside her name from the list of accused in the case registered by the CBI pertaining to the Obulapuram Mining Company scam.

After hearing to the arguments of both the CBI and the IAS officer, Justice K. Lakshman said that the orders will be pronounced later.

The CBI had registered the case against OMC on December 7, 2009, at the request of the Andhra Pradesh government in the wake of allegations of illegal mining and irregularities in the allotment of mining leases to the company in Obulapuram and Malpanagudi villages of Anantapur district.

In 2015, Srilakshmi filed the quash petition seeking to set aside the case against her and requested the court to direct the CBI to pay the compensation to her for filing the case , without having any evidence.

On Thursday, CBI Counsel K. Surender argued against the contentions raised by the Srilakshmi who contended that the CBI had no authority to probe mining issues.

The CBI counsel informed the Court that the then state government of Andhra Pradesh had given a notification allowing the CBI to interrogate Srilakshmi. He said that Srilakshmi, as secretary of industries and mines in undivided AP, connived with OMC promoter Gali Janardhan Reddy in granting mining leases in Anantapur. Srilakshmi’s counsel refuted the CBI’s charges and argued that the investigating agency had recorded statements against his client from some witnesses by influencing them.