YSR let Rajagopal hold 2 positions, Sabita tells CBI

[1]

Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy told the CBI that former chief minister YSR had let V.D. Rajagopal, accused in the OMC case, continue in two posts simultaneously for several years.

“I brought it to his notice on a couple of occasions, but he said Mr Rajagopal was being continued as there was no one who could replace him in one of the two posts being held by him,’’ the minister told the CBI in her statement.

The CBI had listed her as Witness No. 8 in its supplementary chargesheet filed against senior IAS officer Y. Srilakshmi.

Mr Rajagopal, who is Accused No. 3 in the OMC case, was the director of mines and geology and vice-chairman and MD of AP Mineral Development Corporation simultaneously. According to the CBI, Mr Rajagopal had recommended the case of the OMC, and it was approved based on the same.

“Srilakshmi had come to me with the proposal of allotment of a 25-hectare mine to OMC, which I rejected. I pulled her up when she approached me the second time on the same subject,” Ms Indra Reddy said. When the CBI asked her whether there was any pressure from YSR on Ms Srilakshmi in this regard, she stated that she was not aware of it.