Obulapuram Mining Scam: SC Dismisses Woman IAS Officer’s Plea for Discharge

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of an IAS officer seeking discharge in the multi-crore Obulapuram Mining Company case while paving the way for her trial.

A bench of justices MM Sundresh and NK Singh upheld the Telangana High Court decision not to discharge senior IAS officer Y Srilakshmi.

The top court on August 29 last year stayed the trial against her and issued notice to the CBI on her plea.

Srilakshmi, who served as industries and commerce secretary in Andhra Pradesh between 2006 and 2009, was named in a supplementary charge sheet 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 to the Telangana high court, which allowed her criminal revision petition and discharged her on Nov 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 a reconsideration, the high court dismissed her revision petition on July 25 and revived the trial against her.

According to CBI, Srilakshmi abused her position as a public servant by favouring M/s Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt Ltd, 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 also stated that her actions facilitated other accused persons in cheating the government, and this 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 the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Reddy was convicted, and his appeal is pending.