Senior IAS officer Y Srilakshmi, arrested in the illegal mining case involving Gali Janardhan Reddy-owned Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), was sent to judicial custody till December 12 by a local court. The CBI, probing the case, has given clean chit to state Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, who was Minister for Mines & Geology when the mining leases were issued to OMC. CBI argued in the court that it was the duty of Srilakshmi to see that everything was in order before issuing the leases. As a minister Sabita Indra Reddy has merely sanctioned the leases.

Srilakshmi was detained by CBI on Monday; she is accused of favoring OMC in grant of mining leases in 2007. Her bail plea says that she was only involved in processing of the file which led to issuance of the Government Order granting the lease. The lease had been provisionally granted by the Andhra Pradesh government one year before she took charge as secretary, Industries and Commerce, it says.

Srilakshmi, when produced before the Special CBI Court after completion of three-day CBI custody, requested the judge with folded hands that she be kept at CBI office (for the duration of judicial custody) rather than in the jail. But she was sent to the Chanchalguda jail till December 12. Her husband, Gopi Krishna, himself a senior IPS officer, was by her side during the court proceedings. The court also reserved the order on her bail plea till tomorrow, after hearing the arguments.