A special court of the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Hyderabad directed the Bureau on Friday to register a case against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah and nine others in an alleged corruption case relating to a controversial irrigation project.
The ACB director-general has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation into the case and submit a report to the court by March 26.
A city-based lawyer V Srinivasa Rao filed a complaint with the ACB special court alleging the ACB DG failed to act on his complaint, filed on January 24, on Yellampalli project and requested that necessary directions be issued for registration of a case against the Chief Minister and others.
On hearing the arguments, ACB special court judge N Sanyasi Rao today issued a directive to the ACB DG that a case be registered under Section 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 120 (B) (conspiracy), 167(misuse of official position by public servants), 201 (screening of evidence) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants)
and a detailed investigation conducted against the Chief Minister and others.
Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, the then principal secretary (irrigation) C V S K Sarma, advisor Seetapathi Rao, chief engineer Prabhakar Reddy, superintending engineer, executive engineer and project contractors (IVRCL, Navayuga and SEW Infra joint venture) are the other respondents in the case.
The petitioner's counsel Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar cited the Comptroller and Auditor General's report, the Lok Ayukta Inquiry report in the Yellampalli case in which public funds to the tune of Rs 600 crore were allegedly misappropriated. He also submitted a set of 21 documents in support of the case. On hearing the arguments, the judge issued the directions to the ACB.
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