Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 25: Several cases related to Karnataka’s multi-crore mining scam have been stealthily closed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They have stated that no prima facie case exists and no evidence was found during preliminary inquiry into illegal ore export from ports in Mangaluru, Goa, and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

According to a Lokayukta report, 2.98 metric tonnes of Karnataka-origin iron ore was illegally exported via ports in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka between 2006 and April 2010.

The illegal mining took place in Ballari district of Karnataka. This caused a loss of around Rs 25,000 crore to the state. The CBI on Supreme Court’s direction had filed charge sheets against mining companies linked to former BJP minister Janardhana Reddy and others.

Karnataka government had also formed a Special Investigation Team to investigate cases involving the export of less than 50,000 MT from Belikeri and the New Mangalore Port. Cases involving more than 50,000 MT were entrusted to the CBI.

Former Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde expressed shock that the cases are being closed at preliminary stage. He said that reports by him and his deputy Dr U V Singh were based on documents collected from ports and contained enough evidence on errant miners.

Meanwhile, a senior official who is part of the Karnataka Cabinet sub-committee on implementation of the Lokayukta report says that the letters to close cases from the CBI are ‘one-page letters’.