Telangana HC Rejects IAS Officer Srilakshmi’s Plea in Obulapuram Mining Case
The court upheld her status as an accused, paving the way for the CBI to investigate her role further.
Hyderabad; The Telangana High Court on Friday dismissed the criminal revision case of AP cadre senior IAS officer Yerra Srilakshmi, who had sought her discharge in the 2006 Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) illegal mining case. The court upheld her status as an accused in the case, thereby mandating her to face trial in the CBI special court.
The Telangana High Court had on November 8, 2022, allowed the same revision petition the officer and discharged her from the case. The court had then even allowed framing of charges against her by the CBI court.
The CBI had then approached the Supreme Court, complaining that their contentions were not adequately considered. The CBI also complained that the High Court had disposed of Srilakshmi’s petition within 15 days and had not allowed the agency to file counters.
The apex court found fault with the ruling and remanded the matter back to the Telangana High Court in May, directing a fresh hearing within three months with due consideration of arguments from both parties.
The case was listed before Justice K. Lakshman of the Telangana High Court, who commenced hearing in June and reserved the orders last week and pronounced the decision on Friday.
With the decision of the High Court, the CBI special court at Hyderabad has to conduct the trial again in case, to the extent of Srilakshmi role.
The OMC case was disposed of by the CBI court on May 6, convicting Karnataka MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy, B.V. Srinivas Reddy, Ali Khan, government official V.D. Rajagopal and others.
The CBI court acquitted former minister and now BRS MLA Sabitha Indra Reddy and retired officer Krupanandam. The court had not passed it verdict on the alleged role of Srilakshmi.
The CBI alleged that Srilakshmi, as then secretary of the industries department, had favoured the OMC of Janardhan Reddy. In collusion with then director of mines Rajagopal, she allegedly demanded large bribes from other applicants for mining licences while extending undue benefits to OMC and its promoters, Janardhan Reddy and Srinivas Reddy. The agency argued that her decisions allegedly enabled financial gains for the OMC, bringing her actions under the Prevention of Corruption Act.