CBI seizes documents from Obulapuram co

At OMC, the CBI seized a corpus of documents, including papers believed to be records of the Reddys’ illegal mining, and other important files and CDs. The team that raided Ennoble India waited for the staff to arrive before it began investigations. It is said that this team essentially gathered information on the company’s financial transactions. Another team that visited Obulapuram mining area collected onsite information.

Apart from the mining companies owned by the Reddy brothers, the team also raided Bellary Iron Ore Private Limited (BIOP) owned by industralist S K Modi and Modi Bhavan on Hospet Road. To thwart any untoward incident and resistance, several platoons of police were deployed at all the company premises as soon as the CBI raids began on Thursday morning. The police were led by Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Kukera.

Though Health Minister B Sriramulu was spotted in front of the OMC office, he did not enter the complex. Putting up a brave front, Sriramulu maintained that he would go in if he was summoned by the CBI officials.

The CBI-headed multi-disciplinary team comprised officers from the Survey of India, Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Customs and Department of Revenue Intelligence. This team also had officials from the Andhra Pradesh forest department officials.

The Andhra Pradesh government had on November 17 ordered CBI probe into the alleged irregularities by the OMC. The probe was ordered following recommendation of a three-member committee constituted by AP Chief Minister K Rosaiah, to probe allegations by the Opposition about illegal activities of the Reddy brothers. The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee on November 20 had recommended that all activities of OMC be stopped immediately till such time that demarcation of mining lease boundaries are carried out.

The forest area in Ananthapur district in AP and in Bellary district are notified as Bellary Reserve Forest and the mining blocks come under the reserve forest area in Andhra Pradesh, the CBI said referring to the alleged illegal mining.