‘Politically motivated’: Advocate Venkateswar Rao on Obulapuram mining case

HYDERABAD: Advocate Venkateswar Rao stated that the Obulapuram mining case was politically motivated and added that an appeal in the court would be filed in the next two days.

Rao said, “This is also a politically motivated case…There is no case at all. We have good grounds to succeed in the appeal. We will file an appeal in the court tomorrow or the day after tomorrow…”

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court sentenced five accused to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a total fine of Rs 1.4 lakh, including a fine of Rs 1 lakh imposed on the accused company in the Obulapuram mining case, the agency said in a statement.

The CBI court has also acquitted former state minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and former bureaucrat B Krupanandam in the Obulapuram mining case.

According to the CBI, the five accused are V D Rajgopal, then Director of Mines and Geology, in Andhra government; BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy, then Director; B V Srinivasa Reddy, then Managing both of M/s OMCPL, Ballari; Mehfuz Ali Khan, then partner of M/s Devi Enterprises, Ballari and M/s Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt. Ltd.

The release read, “The Spl. Judge for CBI Cases, Hyderabad today i.e. 06.05.2025 sentenced five accused including Sri V D Rajgopal, then Director of Mines & Geology, Govt. of Andhra; Sri Gali Janardhan Reddy, then Director; Sri B.V. Srinivasa Reddy, then Managing both of M/s OMCPL, Bellary; Sri Mehfuz Ali Khan, then Partner of M/s Devi Enterprises, Bellary and M/s Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt. Ltd. to 7 years’ Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) with total fine of Rs 1.4 lakh including fine of Rs 1 lakh imposed on accused company in case related to Obulapuram Illegal Mining”.

The Obulapuram mining case was registered on December 8, 2009 against the aforementioned accused. It was alleged that the accused in criminal conspiracy with each other committed offences of illegal mining of iron ore by criminally trespassing into the government lands and lands of other private persons and thus caused loss of more than Rs 800 crore loss to the government, the release stated. (ANI)