HYDERABAD: Suspended IAS officer Y Srilakshmi tried to get another 25 hectares of land in Anthargamma Konda in Anantapur district to be leased to Obulapuram Mining Company for iron ore mining but her effort was thwarted by home minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy who was minister of mines and geology at that time. Srilakshmi, who is in prison, was scolded by the minister after which the latter did not pursue the matter.This was told by Sabitha Indra Reddy to the CBI, which is investigating the OMC iron ore mining case, as a witness number 8 on December 28 last year. Apart from rejecting the grant of the land, Sabitha said she was not aware whether Srilakshmi was under pressure from the then chief minister the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy for clearance of the file.The minister told the CBI that she had asked Rajasekhara Reddy a couple of times why VD Rajagopal, also an arrested accused in the OMC case, be allowed to continue in two posts. Rajagopal served as the director, mines and geology as well as vice-chairman and managing director of AP Mineral Development Corporation when the scam took place.“Rajasekhara Reddy told me that he was not getting a suitable replacement and so he was not able to relieve Rajagopal from one of the posts,’’ she told the CBI.While recording the minister’s statement under Section 161 of CrPC, the CBI showed her a note sheet wherein the proposal of the director of mines and geology for grant of mining lease to OMC on an area of 68.50 hectare was recommended and the secretary in the industries department concurred with that. The note sheet was signed by Sabitha Indra Reddy on June 18, 2007.“At that point of time, Srilakshmi was secretary, industries. On being asked (by CBI) as to whether I applied my mind and went through the complete proposals given by the secretary and approved the same, I state that the secretary’s recommendations are usually approved and the secretary is to guide us on the correct procedures and inform us about the facts of the issue concerned. The file has come in a routine manner and I cleared it in a routine manner,’’ Sabitha’s statement read.The CBI also showed the minister a copy of the letter written by OMC managing director Gali Janardhan Reddy to the late Rajasekhara Reddy requesting him to consider his application for grant of mining lease in Anthargamma Konda over the balance of notified area of 25 hectare to use the same for captive use for their steel plant proposed at Jammalamadugu.“The land was proposed for APMDC and I thought it would not be proper to give this piece of land to OMC. Srilakshmi brought this issue before me on a couple of occasions and told me that she would send a note recommending the grant of 25 hectare of land to OMC. Initially, I told her politely not to put up the note as I would not be granting it. She again insisted and I lost my cool and scolder her and told that even if she put up a positive recommendation, I will negate and reject it. After this, she did not utter about it,’’ Sabitha said.Sabitha Indra Reddy, after being shown the GO without carrying the clause of captive mining, reacted, “I am surprised as to why the secretary ignored this aspect. Even if that had happened by mistake, it could have been rectified.’’Meanwhile, Anil Subramaniam, the under-secretary in the Union ministry of mines and witness number 2 in the case, said state officials were keen on getting a nod from his department in getting iron mining leases while not taking into consideration the other applicants.
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