Leader of the Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday alleged of collusion at the highest level of the government to protect Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), belonging to the Reddy brothers of Bellary, which has been accused of illegal iron ore mining in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu said that barely had the Chief Minister ordered a probe by a three member team of senior forest officers, two ministers (B Srinivas Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Mines Minister and K Sai Pratap, Union Minister of State for Steel) publicly certified that the OMC has not committed any irregularities.
“It is ironic that they (the two ministers) made these statements in the premises of the state secretariat just after an enquiry is ordered by the Chief Minister. It clearly shows the collusion at the highest level and attempts to white wash the whole affair belittling it as a dispute between two companies,” Naidu said in a letter to Chief Minister K Rosaiah.
The two ministers , incidentally, are close followers of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, MP and son of late YS Rajasekhar Reddy. The opposition has been alleging that the Kadapa MP (Jagan Mohan Reddy) is a business partner of Bellary Reddys.
“When a scandal involving loss of over Rs.10,000 crores to the public property is unearthed, appointing a three men team with forest department officers does not serve any purpose. It is public knowledge that OMC has committed these irregularities with the active support from both mining and forest departments of the state Govt.,” Naidu added.
{{/usCountry}}“When a scandal involving loss of over Rs.10,000 crores to the public property is unearthed, appointing a three men team with forest department officers does not serve any purpose. It is public knowledge that OMC has committed these irregularities with the active support from both mining and forest departments of the state Govt.,” Naidu added.
{{/usCountry}}He demanded that a multi disciplinary enquiry team consisting of officers representing Mines, Forest, Revenue, Vigilance and Enforcement, Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines , Sales tax, Income tax and Customs departments be constituted to probe deep into the issue and come out with the facts.
Pending the probe, all the files relating to OMC be seized, the former chief minister demanded.