Hyderabad: YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan
Reddy, who appeared before CBI on Friday in connection with the
alleged iron ore mining scam, urged the agency to probe the
role of former Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu in granting
mining lease to Obulapuram Mining Company.
The Kadapa MP also said that the agency, which is probing
the illegal mining case against Obulapuram Company owned by
former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, had called
him as a "witness" after one-and-half years of investigations.
"I was called to give my opinion in the case, the (same)
way CBI had sought the opinion of Sabitamma (state Home
Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, who was mining minister in his
father's cabinet).
"They had not called me as an accused. I requested CBI to
probe the role of Chandrababu Naidu, as he had issued
government order (GO) allotting 64 acres of land to OMC in
2002," Jagan told reporters waving copies of GO papers.
Jagan alleged that Naidu had earlier allotted mining
lease for 64 acres of land to Rammohan Reddy in 1996, and
later transferred it to OMC.
The Kadapa MP said he wanted to know why Naidu had not
been questioned by the agency so far, and said the GO should
be made a basis for questioning Naidu.
Jagan arrived at CBI office at Koti here at around 10.30
am, and came out at 1.15 pm. The agency had earlier said that
Jagan would be questioned only in connection with OMC case,
and not about the disproportionate assets case against him.
CBI sources said it was probing alleged nexus between
Jagan and Janardhana Reddy. OMC is accused of violating mining
norms in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
According to CBI, clearance for mining leases to OMC was
given during the tenure of former Chief Minister Rajasekhara
Reddy, Jagan's father, in an unusual haste.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 04, 2011, 09:30