Hyderabad: In a setback to Yerra Srilakshmi, the senior IAS officer of the AP cadre, the Telangana High Court dismissed her petition seeking a direction to the CBI court at Hyderabad to conduct hearing on charges of illegal mining and discharge applications only after the inter-state boundary dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka is resolved.
Unless the interstate boundary was fixed, the quantum of alleged illegal mining cannot be determined, Srilakshmi contended. Justice Shameem Akther did not agree and made it clear that the court cannot interfere when CBI had stated that its investigation had been completed .
“The main accusation against Srilakshmi is that she entered into criminal conspiracy along with the other accused to cheat the government by sanctioning leases to mining companies, violating the governing rules and procedures,” Justice Akther observed.
“If there are any omissions and commissions on the part of the investigating agency in collecting evidence, the prosecution would suffer. But how can an accused person dictate the investigating agency to investigate other issues,” Justice Akhter said, adding, “No prejudice would be caused to Srilakshmi if the CBI court conducts trial.”
Noting that case is dated to 2012 and is still at the stage of hearing on framing of charges and discharge applications, the judge said that the proceedings in a criminal case cannot be stalled on flimsy and unconvincing grounds.
The judge also vacated the stay orders issued earlier, which were preventing the CBI court from taking any coercive steps against Srilakshmi.
In another development, the CBI court issued a non-bailable warrants against Srilakashmi for her non-appearance in the trial of a case filed related to Dalmia Cements in the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy quid pro cases. Srilakshmi is named accused in that case.
The CBI court also cautioned ex-minister Mopidevi Venkataramana and retired officer Brahmananda Reddy that it would issue warrants if they did not appear during the trial on the Vanpic projects case after they stayed away on Thursday.
