The Supreme Court ordered the CBI to probe former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for allegedly permitting illegal mining by major corporate groups like Jindals and the alleged “windfall profits” reaped by his relatives through quid pro quo by mining firms. A bench of chief justice S H Kapadia and Justices Aftab Alam and Swatanter Kumar accepted the April 20 report of its environmental panel, Central Empowered Committee (CEC), and asked the CBI to complete the investigations in three months and file a chargesheet against accused persons before the court concerned.
The SC rejected the pleas of Yeddyurappa, Jindal Steels and South West Mining, who attempted to persuade the court not to accept the CEC’s recommendations for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the award of mining leases, iron ore extraction and the payment of donations as a quid pro quo to NGOs run by the ex-chief minister’s relatives. The order is a setback for Yeddyurappa who was hoping for a comeback as CM, and interferes with the BJP’s plan to put its Karnataka house in order ahead of the challenges of state and Lok Sabha polls. Although the BJP strongly resisted Yeddyurappa’s demand for reinstatement, its hopes of protecting its new-found dominance in Karnataka hinged on the Lingayat strongman’s return to the helm in Bangalore.
The setback for Yeddyurappa may ensure the continuation of Sadananda Gowda as chief minister: hardly an appealing prospect for those who are worried about the BJP’s sliding graph in Karnataka.
The SC said, “The CBI shall undertake investigations in a most fair, proper and unbiased manner, uninfluenced by the stature of persons and the political andcorporate clout, involved in the present case.”
The court expressed anguish over the CEC report pointing out the inaction on the part of government and statutory authorities to stop rampant illegal mining of iron ore carried out under political patronage in Karnataka and Andhra. “The facts in the present case reveal an unfortunate state of affairs which has prevailed for a considerable time in the mentioned districts of both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The CEC has pointed out, and the complainant and petitioners have also highlighted, a complete failure of the state machinery in relation to controlling and protecting the environment, forests and minerals from being illegally mined and exploited,” said Justice Kumar, writing the judgment.
Gali Janardhana Reddy, Obulapuram Mining Company director and prime accused in the illegal mining case, was granted bail by a CBI court here on Friday. Gali, who is currently in a Bellary jail, is also accused in another mining case in Karnataka and will walk free only if he secures a bail there.
The SC rejected the pleas of Yeddyurappa, Jindal Steels and South West Mining, who attempted to persuade the court not to accept the CEC’s recommendations for a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in the award of mining leases, iron ore extraction and the payment of donations as a quid pro quo to NGOs run by the ex-chief minister’s relatives. The order is a setback for Yeddyurappa who was hoping for a comeback as CM, and interferes with the BJP’s plan to put its Karnataka house in order ahead of the challenges of state and Lok Sabha polls. Although the BJP strongly resisted Yeddyurappa’s demand for reinstatement, its hopes of protecting its new-found dominance in Karnataka hinged on the Lingayat strongman’s return to the helm in Bangalore.
The setback for Yeddyurappa may ensure the continuation of Sadananda Gowda as chief minister: hardly an appealing prospect for those who are worried about the BJP’s sliding graph in Karnataka.
The SC said, “The CBI shall undertake investigations in a most fair, proper and unbiased manner, uninfluenced by the stature of persons and the political andcorporate clout, involved in the present case.”
The court expressed anguish over the CEC report pointing out the inaction on the part of government and statutory authorities to stop rampant illegal mining of iron ore carried out under political patronage in Karnataka and Andhra. “The facts in the present case reveal an unfortunate state of affairs which has prevailed for a considerable time in the mentioned districts of both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The CEC has pointed out, and the complainant and petitioners have also highlighted, a complete failure of the state machinery in relation to controlling and protecting the environment, forests and minerals from being illegally mined and exploited,” said Justice Kumar, writing the judgment.
Gali Janardhana Reddy, Obulapuram Mining Company director and prime accused in the illegal mining case, was granted bail by a CBI court here on Friday. Gali, who is currently in a Bellary jail, is also accused in another mining case in Karnataka and will walk free only if he secures a bail there.
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