Officer 'co-opted' with Reddy

Shivalingamurthy, the officer arrested in the illegal mining case, is facing the allegation of being hand in glove with former minister Janardhana Reddy and is accused number three in the Obulapuram Mining Company cases.

The officer, who was promoted to the IAS cadre in 2007, was chargesheeted on May 30, 2012, by the City’s anti-corruption bureau of the CBI. The court had issued summons to him to appear before the Court on Saturday (September 21).

The officer appeared before the Court and submitted a bail plea, which was rejected by judge Soma Rao. He was remanded in judicial custody till October 3. According to CBI, Shivalingamurthy helped Reddy’s aide, Mehfuz Ali Khan, who is facing allegation of illegal shipping of 24 lakh tonnes of iron ore.

Shivalingamurthy, who is due for retirement in November 2013, is now working as additional secretary, DPAR. The CBI had written more than 10 letters to the State government seeking permission to prosecute Shivalingamurthy.

Sources in the CBI said that Karwar MLA Satish Sail, who was taken into custody on Friday, has been remanded in CBI custody till September 27. BSR Congress leader Sriramulu and another MLA visited Kampli MLA Suresh Babu, who is in CBI custody till September 27.