The Lok Ayukta special court on Saturday decided to dig up some old dirt, by directing the Lok Ayukta police to probe their role in illegal mining in the state during their tenure.
Three former Karnataka chief ministers, including current External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, are in deep trouble as the Lok Ayukta special court on Saturday decided to dig up some old dirt, by directing the Lok Ayukta police to probe their role in illegal mining in the state during their tenure.
Along with Krishna, N Dharam Singh and HD Kumaraswamy, 11 serving and retired bureaucrats would face investigations in the mining scam that forced the BJP’s first chief minister in the state, BS Yeddyurappa, out of office.
Judge NK Sudhindra Rao directed the Lok Ayukta Additional Director-General of Police (ADGP) Sathyanarayana Rao to investigate the private complaint filed by a social worker and the president of the Karnataka anti-graft and environmental forum, TJ Abraham, and submit the report on January 6.
Abraham had alleged that Krishna, during his tenure as chief minister from October 11, 1999, till May 28, 2004, “had indulged in various acts of omission and commission of illegalities in relation to the grant of leases for mining in Karnataka”.
Abraham also alleged that Krishna amassed wealth in the names of his family members — including his children and in-laws — and also in the names of his erstwhile close Cabinet colleagues.
He said that the state’s mineral resources were looted when the trio were chief ministers, causing huge losses to the state exchequer.
Regarding Kumaraswamy and Singh — whom a Lok Ayukta report had indicted — he sought the sanction of the speaker of the Lok Sabha for their prosecution as they are currently members of Parliament.
On Saturday, Abraham submitted a set of documents along with two CDs (of the Lok Ayukta report), while the court directed him to submit another set of documents as early as possible. He said that he would do that on December 5. He also told the court that he did not have any hidden agenda.
Among the accused officials are IAS officers IR Perumal, Mahendra Jain, KS Manjunath (retired) and DS Ashwath (retired), former mines and geology director Basappa Reddy, state-run Mysore Minerals Ltd deputy general managers K Srinivas, M Ramappa and Shankarlingaiah and former IPS officer Jija Madhvan Hari Singh.
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