HYDERABAD/GUNTUR: The CBI on Thursday carried out searches at 25 locations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including the premises of former TDP minister Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao in connection with a 2014 illegal mining case.

The searches were spread at 25 locations at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad, Telangana at the premises of various private persons, including former TDP MLA Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao in an ongoing investigation of the case registered by the CBI on August 26.

Several incriminating documents, mobile phones, material objects, and cash have been recovered," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.

It may be recollected that the Andhra Pradesh High Court in its directives has told the government that it was free to entrust the investigation into the illegal mining to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agency for investigation into the illegal limestone mining by Yarapathineni in September 2019.

The State government earlier informed the HC of its decision to hand over investigation into the illegal limestone mining case in which Gurazala former MLA Yarapathineni was allegedly involved, to the CBI. They said that the complaints were of serious nature which needed a high-level probe. Advocate-General Subrahmanyam Sriram told the court that there were several complaints of illegal mining against the TDP leader in Piduguralla, Dachepalli and Nadikudi areas in the Guntur region since 2014 and CB-CID had inquired into the matter.

The illegal mining resulted in crores of revenue loss to the government and genuine lease holders. It was further alleged that illegal mining of several lakh of tonnes of limestone was conducted by the accused during the period from 2014 to 2018, as a result of which, natural resources worth several crore of rupees have been plundered.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had then taken over 17 cases of illegal limestone mining during the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) rule from the CB-CID of the Andhra Pradesh Police registering an FIR against 17 accused.

It was alleged that the accused had fraudulently conducted illegal and unauthorised mining, quarrying and transportation of limestone in Konanki village of Piduguralla Mandal, Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages of Dachepalli Mandal, Guntur district for several years.

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