The CBI officials today defended the Home Minister Sabitha Indra reddy in the CBI special court putting the entire blame on the suspended IAS officer Srilakshmi for granting iron ore leases to the former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan reddy.

Countering the arguments of Srilakshmi’s lawyers that she was not at fault as she did everything at the behest of the then mining minister Sabitha Indra Reddy in granting iron ore mining leases to Gali Janardhan reddy-owned OMC, CBI argued that it is the responsibility of an official to guide a minister in taking decisions.

“She is putting the entire blame on the minster as if she is not at fault. That is not correct. She should have guided the minister in taking the correct decision on such an important matter as the granting of iron ore leases,” said counsel for the CBI defending the Minister.

The development draws curtains on the rumours that the CBI may add the name of Sabitha Indra Reddy as an accused in the charge sheet. “She had removed the words ‘captive mining’ from the GOs issued in favour of OMC after entering into a conspiracy with Gali Janardhan reddy,” argued CBI lawyers.

As the court extended the judicial custody of Srilakshmi to Dec 12, she was shifted to the women’s wing of the Chanchalguda jail. (JUBS)