Anti-corruption activists in Uttara Kannada district say that the trail of the missing iron ore from the Belekeri port could lead to the doors of a powerful politician in the Union government.
Anti-corruption activists in Uttara Kannada district say that the trail of the missing iron ore from the Belekeri port could lead to the doors of a powerful politician in the Union government.
A Maharashtra-based firm, Metachem Manufacturing Private Limited (MMPL) appears to have given the slip to the CID of the state. It has also brushed aside two notices issued by the Lok Ayukta of Karnataka.
Anti-corruption activists in Uttara Kannada said, “We found out that a certain Jayant Pawar, director of MMPL, has been accused of illegally exporting ore from Belekeri.
Lok Ayukta officials from Udupi confiscated mounds of iron ore belonging to MMPL, from the storage yard hired by the Adani Mining Company Limited. Of the 8.05 lakh tonnes of ore that vanished from the port, a major chunk belonged to MMPL.”
MMPL had sold 7,312 metric tonnes of iron ore to a Belgaum-based firm that exported ore, DB Brothers and Co.
Activists said that in consideration of the sale, DB Brothers had deposited Rs3.79 crore to the account of MMPL, in the name of the Saraswath Cooperative Society, Pune.
Lok Ayukta police have filed a case against MMPL in Ankola police station under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 379 (theft) and 34 (acts done by several persons in pursuance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. The case was later transferred to the CID.
However, no one from MMPL, except a guard at the firm’s Belekeri office, has been arrested.
According to the records available with the Lok Ayukta police, Jayant Pawar was issued notices twice by the Lokayukta police. He ignored the notices, and neither appeared in court nor offered a statement.
Lok Ayukta had also issued notices to 53 other companies. All of the other companies had assigned an official to pursue anticipatory bail.
Investigations confirmed that Jayant Pawar is the son of Suryakanth Pawar, one of the six brothers of Union agriculture minister and Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar.
Sources in the state unit of the BJP said, “We always knew that Congressmen were involved in the mining scam, even though only the chief minister is targeted. We hope that the Lok Ayukta report, which is being tabled on Wednesday, has mention of the name of Jayant Pawar.”
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