Police officials had erected a checkpost near Hullur village to curb illegal sand mining activities, and when Chauhan tried to check the tractor, its driver ran the vehicle over him and escaped, officials said.
The Central Bureau of Invstigation has started interrogating former Karnataka Tourism Minister and mining baron G Janardhana Reddy in connection with an illegal mining case, agency sources said on Saturday.
Facing flak from opposition Congress on the mining issue, the Karnataka government on Monday ordered a probe by Lokayukta into illegal export of minerals, including iron ore, from 2000 till date.
Former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who is in the thick of a fight against a powerful mine owner and Karnataka's tourism minister Galli Janardhan Reddy, has chided the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress for being under control of mining mafia.
Janata Dal - Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Thursday sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention into the alleged illegal mining situation in Karnataka, especially Bellary district, where he alleged that the 'mining mafia was ruling the roost'. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gowda allleged that there was 'no semblance of rule of law especially in Bellary district' and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of being 'a mute spectator'
The Supreme Court on Thursday cancelled 49 mining leases due to illegalities in Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka, but allowed resumption of activity in mines with lesser illegalities, as recommended by a Central Empowered Committee. CEC had categorised the mines in the area in three categories -- A, B and C. The mines with least or no irregularities were categorised as 'A' and those with maximum illegalities were placed in category 'C'.
Dubbing the Bharatiya Janata Party ministry in Karnataka as the "most corrupt government in free India", the Congress on Wednesday demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and all ministers indicted by the Lokayukta in the illegal mining case. "Those holding constitutional positions should uphold high moral traditions. Yeddyurappa and all ministers involved in the nefarious activities should quit," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.
With the probe of the Centre-appointed Shah commission into alleged irregularities entering its last lap, Goan miners have started bracing themselves for a possible Karnataka-like blanket ban on mining and exports.
Karnataka Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil on Tuesday said he would act on the illegal mining report submitted by his predecessor and Governor Bhardwaj's recommendation to initiate criminal proceedings against indicted former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde on Friday dismissed as 'totally wrong' reports that he has named External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in his report on illegal mining in the state.
The Central Bureau of Investigation may question some top leaders from the Telegu Desam Party in connection with the Gali Janardhan Reddy illegal mining case.
The rampant mining in Karnataka and the politicians who minted money from it made headlines during the state election in 2008. But this year, the issue has taken a backseat and mining barons like Janardhana Reddy have been kept away from the electoral fray.
In the wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation arresting mining baron G Janardhana Reddy, Karnataka Lokayukta Shivaraj V Patil on Monday said his office would hand over the report on illegal mining if the central probe agency asked for it.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation court on Thursday extended till January 25 the judicial custody of former Karnataka Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy and three others accused in the "illegal" mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company.
The Obulapuram Mining Company Pvt Ltd, owned by former Karnataka minister G Janardhan Reddy, earned over Rs 4,300 crore from illegally selling iron ore, the Central Bureau of Investigation's chargesheet says
The bail pleas of mining baron and former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and his brother-in-law B V Srinivas Reddy were on Thursday rejected by a local court; the third time since their arrest in the alleged illegal mining case, involving the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).
Among the prominent companies the CID has named is Sesa Goa, in which Vedanta Resources picked up a 51 per cent stake for Rs 4070 crore in 2007
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday informed a local court that it was ready for trial in the Obulapuram Mining Company illegal mining case involving former Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and others. The central agency which filed a chargesheet in the case against Reddy, who owns Obulapuram Mining Company and four others on December 3, informed the Special Court for CBI cases that it would submit a copy of the chargesheet to the Supreme Court on
State exchequer lost Rs 325 crore, says Lokayukta.
The Lokayukta office in Karnataka has been vacant for over two months and there is indication that the government is contemplating scrapping the anti-corruption ombudsman. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Vicky Nanjappa goes through Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde's explosive report on illegal mining in the state and reveals damning figures of corruption.
The Opposition Congress and Janata Dal-Secular members continued their protest in the Karnataka legislative assembly for the third straight night demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged illegal mining scam.
Janardhana Reddy said he has not launched it with the objective of becoming CM right away in 2023.
The Karnataka government has decided to tighten the reins of the mining lobby in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Putting up a brave face despite the damning indictment by the state Lokayukta on illegal mining, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said his government needs time to study the "voluminous" report submitted by the anti-corruption watchdog and maintained that "most of its points" were pending in courts. Reacting to the report of Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, Yeddyurappa pointed out that it was a voluminous report running into hundreds of pages and had 31 chapters.
Documents reveal that out of the 80 odd mining leases in the Bellary region, at least 45 are raising contracts or mines run by third party.
Hours before Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde demitted office, outgoing Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday filed a petition before him seeking reconsideration of his report indicting him in the illegal mining that cost him the top post.
Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde on Wednesday said he would take the assistance of the Central Bureau of Investigation 'if need arise' in the investigation into illegal mining in the state
The Bharatiya Janata Party government has adjourned the Karnataka legislative assembly sine die to wade off the opposition protests seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into illegal mining.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj, who is gunning for the removal of Reddy brothers from the state ministry on the issue of illegal mining, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram and is understood to have discussed the issue.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Tuesday asked for removal of the controversial Reddy brothers from the state ministry on allegations of "illegal mining", a demand that riled the BJP which hit back at him saying he was acting as a "rank agent" of the Congress.
It was the name that was doing the rounds in the media since ousted Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was asked to resign following the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.
Contradicting the Lokayukta's findings on illegal mining that had indicted them; an internal police department probe into the role of 191 officials has given them a clean chit, saying no prima facie case can be made out against them for alleged bribe taking.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Karnataka of sending "doctored and concocted" information to a Supreme Court appointed panel on illegal mining, saying it was a deliberate attempt to 'defame' him.
Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde's report on illegal mining in the state is expected to be submitted any time now. Going by the 'leaks' from the Lokayukta's office, the report implicates around 600 figures, including Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
The three Karnataka ministers, who are in the midst of illegal mining controversy, on Monday contended before the Election Commission that Governor H R Bhardwaj had no authority to refer to it the petition seeking their disqualification from the state legislature.
While Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has made it clear that he would not step down from his post, a discussion is already on about who is going to replace him in such a situation. The discussion has emerged in the wake of the illegal mining report which names Yeddyurappa.
Justice Shivraj Patil will take over as the Lokayukta in Karnataka once Justice Santosh Hegde retires in August.Justice Patil, who belongs to the Lingayat community of Karnataka, was recently in the news when he was the appointed to probe the lapses in the sale of 2G spectrum by the telecom ministry. Justice Patil will take over as the top anti-corruption official of Karnataka at a crucial time, when the state government is trying to play down the report on illegal mining.
Attacking Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa in the wake of the Lokayukta indicting him on the illegal mining issue, Left parties on Thursday demanded his resignation, saying the Bharatiya Janata Party leader has no moral authority to continue in his office.
After sleeping over in the assembly for nearly a week, members of the Karnataka legislative assembly are ready for more drama -- it is time for Yatra politics in the state. The first of the yatras (processions on foot) will commence on July 25 led by the opposition Congress.
