k'taka government seeks CBI investigation into iron ore scam.
Picture for representational purpose only.
Bellary: The state government has written to the Union home ministry asking for a CBI investigation into illegal export of iron ore from Karnataka via nine southern ports based on the report of the Lokayukta on illegal mining.
Chief secretary Koushik Mukherjee has in consultation with law minister T B Jayachandra written on November 21 to the Union home secretary asking for the CBI investigation, according to sources.
The state's initiative follows the decisions of the cabinet on October 18 and 31 to bring in the CBI to investigate the illegal export of iron ore in the years 2006 to 2010 from the Belekeri, Karwar and New Mangalore ports in Karnataka, Chennai and Ennore ports in Tamil Nadu , Kakinada, Vishakapatnam and Krishnapatnam ports in Andhra Pradesh and Murmagoa and Panaji ports in Goa.
The state government has in its letter set down clear terms of reference for the investigation, including quantification of the financial loss it has suffered as a result of the scam. Going by the Lokayukta’s estimation the state has lost Rs 1, 22,28,14,22,854 in revenue owing to the illegal export of iron ore in the four years mentioned.
The Lokayukta report, which was based on the data of the Customs of the various ports involved and the Department of Mines and Geology has estimated that around 2.98 crore metric tonnes of iron ore was illegally exported from Karnataka in the concerned period by about 252 exporters. It placed the number of consignees at 228.
The CBI is already investigating the export of iron ore from the Belekeri port between January 2009 and May 2010.
( Source : dc )
Next Story
