Karnataka Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy on Friday night said the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee's report -- describing as 'illegal' the mining of iron ore by the Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him in Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border -- was not that of the apex court. He said the report by the CEC is an 'ex parte report' since the Obulapuram Mining Company "was never heard before
Illegal mining activities in Karnataka have wiped out 2,800 acres of forest land in the state, according to the probe report by Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Thursday again turned the heat on the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state, accusing it of inaction on the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee's report on illegal mining.
Vicky Nanjappa accessed the CAG report on illegal mining in Karnataka and finds out that the in the face of losses worth thousands of crores, the state administration had only been able to recover just Rs 7.22 crore
The Karnataka government would abide by the Supreme Court decision on the recommendation of Central Empowered Committee to extend Central Bureau of Investigation probe into illegal mining in the state, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Friday.
The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee on Friday said that large-scale illegal mining was going on in Karnataka, particularly in Bellary district, in connivance with officials and public representatives.A special forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia issued a notice to the state government and sought its response on various findings in the CEC's interim report, including the export of 304.91 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore without valid permit.
Seeking further probe into the issue of illegal mining following the report by Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, an interlocutory application has been filed before the Supreme Court.
Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has been cleared in the illegal mining case, with the high court quashing the case against him in this regard. The Karnataka high court, which heard a petition filed by Yeddyurappa challenging the chapter of the illegal mining report against him, has quashed the case. The complaint filed against Yeddyurappa, the First Information Report and the sanction accorded against him by the governor have also been quashed by the HC.
Experts believe the surge in illegal mining is due to vested interests of politicians
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday filed a chargesheet in a special court in the illegal mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company owned by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy.
Another interesting part of the report is the one on illegalities in M/s Janthakal Enterprises. It talks about Daya Nayak and H D Kumraswamy trying to exercise their clout and how iron ore was exported to Pakistan illegally.
In a strong indictment of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, state Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hegde on Thursday said he has given 'substantive' and 'voluminous' evidence against him in the illegal mining scam which has cost the state exchequer Rs 1800 crore in a period of 14 months.
Former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde on Monday favoured handing over the probe into illegal mining in the state to the Central Bureau of Investigation, maintaining that the Obalapuram Mining Company owned by former minister G Janardhana Reddy indulged in such activity.
In a relief to former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, the high court on Thursday stated that he cannot be arrested in connection with the illegal mining scam. Justice B V Pinto while hearing a petition filed by Kumaraswamy challenging proceedings against him in the mining case, however, stated that the investigation would continue.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership of patronising illegal mining in Karnataka, the Congress on Thursday demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. With the state Lokayukta report indicting the state government over the issue, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said, "Yeddyurappa must immediately resign from his post". "All these things are already in the public domain but now the Lokayukta has indicted the chief minister," he said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation probing the alleged illegal mining and irregularities in allotment of leases to Obulapuram Mining Company, on Friday began questioning former Karnataka minister Gali Karunakara Reddy in connection with the case.
The mining scam had first rocked Karnataka and now Goa. While the mess in Karnataka is well known, the scenario in Goa is no different. The Central Empowered Committee in its interim report on illegal mining in Goa has found various illegalities in its detailed report, a copy of which is with Rediff.com.
The Union home ministry wants state governments to take proactive action against illegal mining as it has become a national security threat. In a recent meeting with the states, the home ministry said that windfall profits from such mining of minerals and sand were being used by the mafia to aid extremist elements.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court on environment and forest, in its preliminary report submitted to the apex court has confirmed that prima facie there was illegal mining beyond the limits of leased lands, in violation of the forest conservation act by Reddy's companies.
Lokayukta sources said much of the findings are already in the public domain as the report was leaked.
The ongoing probe into illegal mining in Karnataka have revealed some startling facts, including the fact that transportation of ore has gone up two folds after the ban on it was imposed.
The Central Bureau of Investigation filed its first information report (FIR) against former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday in the illegal mining case.
Eight workers, mostly from Bihar, were killed after a massive granite rock collapsed at a stone quarry in Bengaluru South Taluk. The incident, which occurred at Madapattana, has led to allegations of illegal quarrying and negligence, with an MLA claiming police, forest, and mining department officials are involved. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar expressed grief and vowed action against violators, while rescue operations continue amidst fears of a rising death toll.
A CBI team arrived in the mining town on Thursday morning and began inquiries. The CBI inquiry comes after complaints that the Reddy-owned Obalipuram Mining Company was undertaking operations illegally in Bellary.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation court on Friday dismissed the bail pleas of former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy, arrested in connection with alleged illegal mining activities.
Former Karnataka minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy and six others were Monday charge sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a court in Bangalore in connection with alleged illegal mining of iron ore which caused a loss of Rs 198 crore to the exchequer.
Illegal mining has been a hot debating point for the past couple of years. In Karnataka especially, the scam is of such magnitude that many powerful persons have had their heads on the chopping block and in the months to come there will be many more to follow. In this two-part series, we take a close look at this dirty scam, which spreads across various parts of the country, especially at Goa and also Rajasthan
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of private complaint and probe by Lokayukta police against him over alleged illegal mining during his tenure as the Karnataka chief minister from 1999 to 2004.
The Karnataka cabinet has raised certain questions regarding the Lokayukta report on illegal mining. The cabinet is supposed to file an action take report before the Lokayukta.
Parliament was on Wednesday adjourned till noon after ruckus over demand by Bahujan Samaj Party for dismissal of Karnataka government following allegations of illegal mining in the state and Rashtriya Janata Dal claims of a deal between the government and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.
Sticking to its stand, the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka on Saturday asserted that it would not entrust the probe into the illegal mining issue to the Central Bureau of Investigation, but said a report would be submitted to the Supreme Court on the issues raised by a committee appointed by the apex court.
There was hue and cry over the Lokayukta report on illegal mining in Bellary, and in even went on to cost B S Yeddyurappa his chair as the chief minister of Karnataka. But today the entire focus is on Goa which, according to the preliminary report of the Shah commission, gives the indication that illegal mining in the tourist haven is nothing short of the Bellary scenario.
The row over former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde's insinuation that illegal mining was akin to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's dealings escalated on Tuesday with Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar calling it 'baseless and unwarranted' and also far from reality.
CBI sources say that they have information that 50 lakh metric tons of iron ore has been mined in various parts of the state and the value of the same is Rs 2500 crore.
The Karnataka government has suspended 40 officials and staff and issued show-cause notices to 257 who have been named by Lokayukta reports in illegal mining in Karnataka, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar said.
The Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday stayed a Central Bureau of Investigation's inquiry into the alleged illegal mining by the Obulapuram Mining Company, owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister G Janardhan Reddy and his family.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his family members on Wednesday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation court in Bangalore in connection with a case allegedly involving kickback in illegal mining.
Investigations have revealed that the IAS officer Srilakshmi had violated several norms in allotting 68.5 acres of land to former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy's Obulapuram company. Mohammed Siddique reports.
A special court on Monday extended till November 28, the judicial custody of mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and his brother-in-law and Managing Director of Obulapuram Mining Company B V Srinivas Reddy, in the illegal mining case.
Months after the Karnataka's illegal mining scam exposed its politicians -- former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa and the Bellary brothers -- G Janardhana Reddy, Karunakarana Reddy and Somasekehar Reddy -- a similar scandal is unfolding in Goa. The Goa scam has thrown open a can of worms and various reports suggest that the nexus between the two.
