AP govt to order CBI probe into mining by Reddy-owned company

Hyderabad, Nov 17 (PTI) Bowing to pressure from
opposition parties and some Members of Parliament (MPs) of
ruling Congress, government of India's southern state ofAndhra
Pradesh Tuesday decided to recommend a Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged illegal mining
activities of a company owned by Karnataka Minister G
Janardhana Reddy in Anantapur district.
Against the backdrop of CBI and Enforcement Directorate
reportedly inquiring into the alleged illegal mining
activities by Obulapuram Mining Company, the state government
decided to request the Centre to order a full scale probe by
CBI, officials of the Chief Minister's Office said.
A formal letter is being written to the Centre seeking
CBI investigation into the matter, they added.
Opposition parties in the state the Telugu Desam Party,
Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of
India-Marxist (CPI-M), Lok Satta and Praja Rajyam Party have
been demanding that the government order a CBI probe into the
illegal mining by Obulapuram Mining Company owned by
Janardhana Reddy, Karnataka Tourism Minister.
Reddy and his brother G Karunakara Reddy, Revenue
Minister of Karnataka, were said to have been close to late
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and are
friendly to his son Jaganmohan.
Congress MPs V Hanumantha Rao and Madhu Yashki also
favoured a CBI probe even as the state government has set up
three different committees comprising officials of mining,
forest and industries departments to inquire into the
allegations. PTI