KARNATAKA MINING SCAM: Will act on illegal mining report - Shivaraj Patil!

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PTI / The Hindu / BANGALORE, August 9, 2011.

Karnataka Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil addressing the media in Bangalore on Tuesday. Photo: K. Gopinathan - The Hindu.

Karnataka Lokayukta Shivaraj Patil on Tuesday said he will 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.

“I have almost read the voluminous mining scam report. I will examine the provisions available under the law to initiate action in this regard,” he told reporters here.

He also said he would read the governor’s letter and take appropriate steps to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr. Yeddyurappa, who had to quit as chief minister following the indictment by previous Lokayukta Santosh Hegde.

Mr. Bhardwaj had recommended the Lokayukta to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr. Yeddyurappa.

To another question, Mr. Patil said Lokayukta police would probe the complaint against Mr. Yeddyurappa, alleging irregularities in the Upper Bhadra irrigation project, which was referred to it for probe by a local court on Monday.

Full Story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article2340207.ece

KARNATAKA MINING SCAM: Lokayukta indicts Yeddyurappa, Reddy brothers!

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PTI / The Hindu / BANGALORE, July 27, 2011.

Lokayukta Justice N. Santosh Hegde arrives at his office before a press meet regarding the submission of the final report on illegal mining to the Karnataka government, in Bangalore on Wednesday. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy - The Hindu.

The Lokayukta report on illegal mining on Wednesday strongly indicted Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyruappa, Reddy brothers and various others and recommended their prosecution under Prevention of Corruption Act and other laws.

In damning evidence against the Chief Minister, the Lokayukta headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde found that a mining company had donated Rs. 10 crore to a trust managed by his family members which also sold a piece of land to a mining company for Rs. 20 crore far above the guidance value of Rs. 1.4 crore.

After submitting the report running into 25,228 pages including annexures, Mr. Hegde told a press conference that he has named Chief Minister Yeddyruppa, former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, Reddy brothers (who are ministers and mining magnates), their camp follower and another minister H. Sriramulu, Congress MP Anil Lad’s wife and over 600 officials in the mining racket that cost the exchequer Rs. 16,085 crore between 2006 and 2010.

“Having come to the conclusion that there is as a matter of fact an offence made under the Prevention of Corruption Act I have made a recommendation to the Governor to take further action,” Mr. Hegde said in respect of the donation made to the trust run by the Chief Minister’s family members.

At another point, he said, “I have made a recommendation for prosecuting everybody. I have stated this to the Governor. It is for him to act.”

To a question, he shot back, “Action under Prevention of Corruption Act should be taken. What else?”

The report castigated the BJP government, which is in power since May 2008, for its failure to check irregularities and illegalities in mining in the state.

Full Story at,

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2299312.ece?homepage=true