The CBI today sought to examine suspended IAS officer, Ms Y. Srilakshmi, and former Director of Mines and Geology Department (Andhra Pradesh), Mr V.D. Rajagopal, in connection with the grant of mining leases to a cement company which allegedly invested in the businesses of Kadapa MP Mr Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
The central agency today told the Special Court for CBI cases that it wanted to investigate the duo over their signatures on the grant of mining lease to the company. The CBI had filed a plea in this regard two days back.
The probe agency pleaded that it wanted to question the duo at Chanchalguda jail, where they are currently lodged on the grounds that it had collected some documents from the Mines and Geology Department, which had been processed by the two officers.
“Both of them processed the applications of the cement company and the files allotting mines to it carried signatures of both these persons and we want to examine them in this regard,” CBI’s Deputy Legal Advisor Mr Balla Ravindranath replied when Judge Nagamaruthi Sarma sought to know why it wanted to examine Ms Srilakshmi and Mr Rajagopal.
The duo was arrested last year in connection with the illegal mining case, involving Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) of former Karnataka Minister Mr Gali Janardhana Reddy, on charges of abusing their official position and favouring OMC. They are now in judicial custody.
The CBI further alleged that Ms Srilakshmi and Mr Rajagopal in their capacity as the then Secretary (Industries and Commerce) and Director of Mines and Geology Department, respectively, had cleared the files of companies which invested in Mr Jagan’s firms as a quid-pro-quo.
The defence counsel, however, opposed the CBI’s plea saying the duo was in judicial custody in OMC case and not in the alleged disproportionate assets case of Mr Jagan.
The court posted the matter to tomorrow after the counsel informed that he would move a counter.