Iron ore export companies slapped with notices
Lease deeds have been executed for three mines belonging to SAIL and one belonging to OMC (Representational Image)
Bellary: The Anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its probe into the export of illicit iron ore of Karnataka origin from seven ports of three southern states Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.The CBI, Bengaluru wing which registered a preliminary enquiry on the orders of the state government dated 18th November 2013 has now started slapping notices on iron ore export companies to enquire into the illegal extraction /transportation and export of iron ore through the ports of Belekeri, Karwar and Mangalore in Karnataka, Chennai and Ennore in Tamil Nadu and Krishnapatnam, Kakinada and Visakhapatnam in AP.
According to a notice issued to an export company, CBI has sought details of iron ore exported by the company from each port from 1st April 2006 to 31st December 2010 which saw a peak in ore export trade.Besides, the CBI asked them to furnish the details of vessels, shipping bill number, date of shipping , quantity, destination, details of the suppliers from whom the company had procured iron ore for exports, quantity supplied, bills, phone numbers, contact persons, details of transporters, details of all permits issued by the Department of Mines and Geology, details of all mandatory returns filed, details of customs duty/cess paid, details of receipts of exports, details of stockyard possessed by the company and details of stock maintained, details of directors of the company and complete profile of the company.
Sources said the CBI probe into the operations at the seven ports is much more serious compared to the probe into Belekeri port iron ore export scam, since this case covers about 252 exporters and about 228 consignees who had imported ore from Karnataka.The state government ordered the CBI probe based on the findings of the second report of former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde. Lokayukta’s chief investigator Dr U V Singh’s report has stated that from 2006-07 to 2010 Deccember, the total exports of iron ore of Karnataka origin from these ports is about 12.579 crore metric tonnes as per Customs department data.
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