Srilakshmi’s prosecution permitted

Days after giving approval for the prosecution of jailed IAS officer BP Acharya, the state government on Thursday gave permission for prosecuting another imprisoned IAS officer Y Srilakshmi, both under the CrPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.

She is the second IAS officer from Andhra Pradesh against whom the state government has cleared prosecution orders.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier requested the permission for the prosecution of Srilakshmi. ‘’In view of the serious charges against her, the government has approved the prosecution,’’ a press release from the chief minister’s office said. The CBI had arrested Srilakshmi for her alleged role in the illegal mining by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), in November 2011. She was arrested from her office at the health & family welfare commissionerate at Koti and is now lodged in Chanchalguda prison.

Srilakshmi had reportedly confessed that she allotted the Antha Gangamma Konda (AGK) mines, spread over three locations in Anantapur district, to mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy’s OMC, in violation of the Mines & Minerals Development Regulations Act, 1957.

However, she also said the allotment was made under pressure from her higher authorities. She reportedly named the then minister for mines & geology and present home minister P Sabita Indra Reddy and senior IAS officer M G V K Bhanu. She said the two had pressurised her into signing the leases to OMC. Both Sabita and Bhanu were examined by the CBI.

Recently, the state government had given its consent for the prosecution of senior IAS officer B P Acharya, arrested in connection with the Emaar scam. The government, however, rejected permission for the prosecution of another senior IAS officer and current  EO of TTD, L V Subrahmanyam, in the same case.

Before giving the nod, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy discussed the issue with state advocate general Sudarshan Reddy.

Sources said the powerful IAS lobby in the state had been pressurising the government against giving the prosecution orders, but reportedly succeeded only in case of LV Subrahmanyam.