CBI to visit Bellary mining firms

A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will visit six mining companies, including the Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnataka tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy, on Wednesday.

According to sources, the team led by K Praveen Kumar from Hyderabad, will collect details from all the six companies during its visit. The team, currently in Ananthapur, will arrive in Bellary by 9am.

The companies include the ones owned by Reddy — OMC, Bellary Iron Ores Private Limited and Y Mahaballeshwarappa and Sons.

These companies, all located on the Karnataka-Andhra border, have been accused of removing boundary markings between the two states to carry out illegal mining and transportation of ore.  A report on illegal mining carried out in the border areas was submitted to the government by the Lokayukta in 2008, but till now no action has been taken.