Obulapuram mining scam case: SC stays trial against IAS officer

New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the trial against an IAS officer in the multi-crore Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) case.

A bench comprising Justices M M Sundresh and N K Singh granted the interim relief to senior IAS officer Y Srilakshmi after taking note of her plea against a Telangana High Court order.

The bench agreed with senior advocate Siddharth Dave and advocate Farrukh Rasheed who said the trial against the officer was an abuse of the process of the law.

Granting the relief, the bench said the high court’s order was “very strange” and issued notice to the CBI on the plea.

Srilakshmi, who served as secretary, Industries & Commerce, Government of Andhra Pradesh between 2006 and 2009, was named in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI in the alleged scam.

She moved the trial court seeking discharge, contending there were only suspicions against her and no concrete allegations warranting the framing of charges.

The plea, however, was dismissed in 2022.

She subsequently moved the Telangana High Court, which allowed her criminal revision and discharged her on November 8, 2022.

The CBI challenged it before the Supreme Court, which on May 7, 2023, set aside the high court order and remitted the matter for a reasoned judgment.

After reconsideration, the high court dismissed her revision petition on July 25 and revived the trial against her.

According to the CBI, Srilakshmi abused her position as a public servant by allegedly favouring M/s Obulapuram Mining Company Private Limited, owned by businessman and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy.

She allegedly omitted the crucial condition of “captive mining” in the final lease and issued two government notifications in the company’s favour, violating provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960.

The CBI further alleged that her actions facilitated other accused persons in cheating the government and caused huge losses to the public exchequer. She faces charges under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of IPC, aside from Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 provisions.

Reddy was convicted and his appeal is pending. PTI SJK SJK AMK AMK