| Posted on: 2011-12-22/22:42:28 | India - Fraud & Cyber Crime News | Others/ |
|
|
Equating OMC illegal mining scam with the Satyam fraud, additional solicitor general (ASG) of India Mohan Parasaran told the CBI Court here on Thursday that both had adversely affected the economy and urged the court to reject the bail applications of the accused - Gali Janardhan Reddy and BV Srinivas Reddy of OMC. Arguing for the CBI before CBI special judge B Nagamaruthi Sarma, the ASG recalled how the Supreme Court cancelled the bail granted by the AP High Court to Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju and other accused even after a chargesheet was filed and trial commenced. They came out only after the deadline for trial was over. Gali's illegal mining activities resulted in an economic loss of Rs 5,100 crore and every rupee was precious, he said. The ASG also pointed to the threats being faced by several witnesses from the accused and the steps taken by the state to provide security to them and their families. "We have so far provided protection to three witnesses," he said. Parasaran brought to the notice of the court the letter reportedly written by a Karnataka witness seeking protection for him and his family citing danger from the accused. "Following the letter, we wrote a letter to the DGP of Karnataka asking him to provide protection to that family." He also pointed out how several frightened mining officials and traders sought either protection or applying for gun licence. "We are appealing to the AP High Court to set up a special court to try the OMC case," he said. "We have to ascertain the role of officials like Y Srilakshmi who removed the word "captive mining" from the GO granting licence to OMC." The accused obtained a lease from AP and used it as a cover for illegal mining in Karnataka, and the AP officials were well aware of all this conspiracy, he said. Even the whereabouts of Ali Khan, the personal assistant of Gali Janardhan Reddy, was not known yet. Opposing bail to Gali and Srinivas Reddy, the ASG claimed that Khan knew all about the financial fraud perpetrated by OMC. The counsel for the accused rejected the claims of the CBI and told the court that the investigating agency was groping in the dark for evidence even after filing a chargesheet. They did not effect any recoveries so far but cited the need for recoveries each time we sought bail. The CBI says it has been awaiting permission from the Centre to prosecute IAS officer Srilakshmi, and we do not know when the Centre accords permission, and till then, this investigation will not go forward," he said. |
| Source: T I | Location : Hyderabad |
