No Respite for Y. Sreelakshmi in OMC Case as Apex Court Intervenes

In an unexpected development, the Supreme Court of India has overturned the relief previously granted to senior IAS officer Y. Sreelakshmi in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) case. The apex court has dismissed the Telangana High Court’s earlier judgment that had discharged her from the case and issued significant new directions.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court bench ordered that a fresh investigation into Y. Sreelakshmi’s role in the OMC case must be conducted within three months. The court instructed that this inquiry be carried out independently, without being influenced by the Telangana High Court's earlier decision.

In 2022, the Telangana High Court had approved Y. Sreelakshmi’s discharge petition, offering her legal reprieve. With the Supreme Court now reversing that decision, Sreelakshmi is once again entangled in legal complications.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the CBI Special Court in Hyderabad has sentenced the main accused in the same illegal mining case. On Tuesday, the court handed down seven-year prison terms to Gali Janardhan Reddy, B.V. Srinivasa Reddy, V.D. Rajagopal, and Mephaz Ali Khan. Each of them was also fined ₹20,000.

Additionally, V.D. Rajagopal, a former government official, received an extra four-year prison sentence along with a ₹2,000 fine. The court stipulated that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six-month simple imprisonment. The Obulapuram Mining Corporation was fined ₹2 lakh. While the sentences were handed down under various sections, the judge ordered that they be served concurrently. Time already spent in custody would be deducted from the total sentence.

Given the timing of these verdicts, the Supreme Court’s latest order regarding Y. Sreelakshmi assumes increased legal significance.