CBI raids former Telugu Desam MLA Srinivas Rao in illegal mining cases
VIJAYAWADA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the premises of former Telugu Desam MLA of Gurazala, Yarapathineni Srinivas Rao, and others, in connection with investigations into the illegal mining in Guntur district, in which valuable documents and unaccounted cash were found.
The CBI teams conducted searches in 25 places, including in Guntur district and Hyderabad at the premises of Srinivas Rao, his associates Ghattamaneni Nageswara Rao, N. Srinivasulu, N. Ramakotaiah, V. Venkateswarlu, M. Venkateswarlu and others, including private persons in the ongoing investigations.
During these searches, several incriminating documents, mobile phones, material objects and cash have been recovered.
Four years ago, former MLC TGV Krishna Reddy had filed a petition in the AP High Court about large-scale illegal mining by the-then TD MLA of Srinivas Rao. The YSR Congress, then the opposition, agitated against the illegal mining in Konanki, Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages.
The-then TD government ordered a CID probe, which later found illegal mining and involvement of Srinivas Rao and others. After coming into power, the YSRC handed over the illegal mining probe to the CBI, which conducted these raids on Thursday.
The CBI officials said that in pursuance of the notification issued by the government of Andhra Pradesh, and a further notification issued by DoPT, Central government, the CBI has taken over 17 cases of illegal limestone mining from the AP CB-CID and registered a case on August 26 against 17 accused.
It was alleged that the accused had fraudulently conducted illegal and unauthorized mining, quarrying and transportation of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal, Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages of Dachepalli mandal in Guntur district for several years, causing revenue losses to the government and other licensed lease holders.
It was further alleged that illegal mining of several lakh of tones of limestone was conducted by the accused from 2014 to 2018, as a result of which, natural resources worth several crore of rupees have been plundered.
CBI officials informed the media that in order to ascertain the quantum of unauthorized and illegal mining, CBI was conducting volumetric analysis, using satellite imagery.
