HC chides CBI for dragging Srilakshmi’s spouse into case

The High Court on Friday questioned the CBI whether it had done any investigation with the Union ministry of mines in the illegal iron ore mining case involving former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and others.

 “Do you have any restrictions on this aspect to investigate to bring a logical end to the case? Have you examined the minister in the state of Andhra Pradesh?” Justice Samudrala Govindarajulu further asked the CBI cousel.

The judge also posed several questions to the CBI while dealing with the bail petition of IAS officer Y Srilakshmi who is accused in the illegal mining case of Obulapuram Mining Corporation owned by Gali Janardhan Reddy.

At one stage, he even found fault with the central investigating agency for bringing up the name of the petitioner’s husband and IPS officer M Gopikrishna during arguments.

He asked whether her husband was also in custody. When the CBI counsel submitted that there would be a probability of threatening the witnesses who are the employees of the mines and geology department as the petitioner’s husband was occupying a key position in the police department, the judge shot back saying that it would be uncharitable on the part of the CBI to bring her husband into the picture.

CBI counsel P Keshava Rao contended that Srilakshmi, the then secretary to industries, had abused her official position by committing offences and criminal breach of trust.

Besides seriousness and gravity of the offence, the petitioner and her husband, by virtue of their position, would probably influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence.

Apart from this the investigation revealed that one Rakesh Babu, brotherin- law of Srilakshmi, had acquired properties. The whereabouts of the money needs to be investigated.

“At this stage Srilakshmi should not be released on bail,’’ he argued .

Chandrabala plea admitted

HYDERABAD: While allowing IBM employee Vasireddy Chandrabala’s petition in which she stated that a vernacular TV channel had defamed her highlighting the relationship between CBI JD VV Laksminarayana and her, APSHRC member Kakamanu Peda Peri Reddy on Friday directed Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma to investigate the matter and submit a comprehensive report by July 2.

Chandrabala on Friday sent a complaint to SHRC through a fax.