Hyderabad:
Suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi has a reason to be happy as her name did not figure in the 186-page chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the probe related to the alleged illegal mining of iron ore by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy's Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
This comes a day after she was granted bail by a local court. Srilakshmi was arrested by the CBI in the case earlier and had to spend a day at the Central Women's Prison at Chanchalguda.
The CBI cited two reasons for the non-inclusion of Srilakshmi's name in the chargesheet. "Being a public servant, the investigation agency has to obtain sanction for prosecution," CBI joint director V V Lakshminarayana said. The CBI is reportedly awaiting permission from the government for prosecuting the suspended IAS officer.
Further, the CBI also wants to collect more evidence against her. "As collection of evidence with regard to certain allegations in respect of Srilakshmi are in progress, her name is not included in the chargesheet," Lakshminarayana said.
There were allegations of demanding huge amounts as kickbacks for granting mining leases.
"A chargesheet is filed only after completing investigation into the role of a person or an accused in the crime. The agency had completed its investigation with respect to Gali Janardhan Reddy and two others but we need more time to come to a conclusion on some aspects related to Srilakshmi's role in the case," an officer said.
Sources said the CBI wants to question Srilakshmi in the coming days. During her previous custody, the CBI officials reportedly did not get any vital information from Srilakshmi about aspects like those behind the OMC getting mining leases. Srilakshmi, the then Secretary, Industries and Commerce, was accused of not only favouring the OMC in granting mining leases bypassing rules, but also denying licences to other companies though they were eligible.
In its chargesheet filed before the special judge, the investigation agency named OMC director Gali Janardhana Reddy, his brother-in-law and OMC managing director B V Sreenivasa Reddy, the then director of Mines and Geology V D Rajagopal and the then assistant director, Mines and Geology, Ananthapur, the late R Linga Reddy in the chargesheet.