The state bureaucracy was in for surprise when it became known on Monday that the CBI quoted several GOs brought out in a routine manner as the base for its quid pro quo case against Kadapa MP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The Supreme Court ordered the issuance of notices to six ministers and eight IAS officers who, according to petitioner P. Sudhakar Reddy, were instrumental in bringing out these orders. Some of the GOs pertained to simple matters like allowing the change of name of a cement plant after it was purchased by another company.
In some cases, the CBI projected that giving exemption to an industry from the Urban Land Ceiling Act and permitting it for excess land holding as a quid pro quo for investment in Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s companies. For instance, bureaucrat Mr Aditya Nath Das issued an order allotting water to a cement plant owned by India Cements in Ranga Reddy district. Sources said the previous Telugu Desam government also issued a similar order allotting same quantity of water to the same plant as per the industrial policy.
Mr Sam Bob, another senior officer, and minister Kanna Lakshminarayana were served notices for issuing orders reimbursing stamp duty and registration fees. “The company is eligible for such incentive as per 2005-2010 industrial policy,” an officer said. Similarly, Mr S.V. Prasad issued an order exempting Bramhani Infratech, an IT park in the city outskirts, from the provisions of ULC Act in his capacity as principal revenue secretary. Any industry is automatically eligible for such exemption.