Daijiworld Media Network – Karwar (SP)

Karwar, Sep 4: Investigation into the missing ore scam at Belekeri port here has gained momentum since the Dharwad circuit bench of the state High Court pulled up the officials of the criminal investigation department (CID) for the slow progress of the investigation.

After filing preliminary charge sheet in the court, a CID team comprising superintendent of police (SP), K P Bheemaiah, and deputy SP, Muddu Mahadevaiah, visited the port area on Friday for the second round of investigation.

The team collected additional details in the case from the personnel of Ankola police station and officials of the department of ports. Reportedly, the CID has formed four separate teams for arresting representatives of 45 other ore companies, who are believed to be hand in glove in the ore disappearance. The teams, it is gathered, will also operate outside the state to nab the concerned.

Several companies facing the charges are managed by prominent personalities belonging to the ruling party. Many others are in the grip of opposition leaders. The CID is in a fix because of the involvement of prominent politicians, and as it has been made to deal with pulls and pressures from various quarters not to act against the guilty, while at the same time, receiving brickbats from the court for tardy progress in the case. Perhaps for this reason, it has only given the names of 45 companies purported to be involved with the scam, without revealing the names of representatives or owners of the companies against whom the complaints are to be registered and arrests have to be made.

This has also caused tension among the employees in the senior management positions of these companies, as they face the prospect of being made scapegoats. It is said that the owners and important representatives of most of these companies have undertaken foreign tours on tourist visas to avoid getting caught in the CID dragnet.