"Substantive" evidence against CM, others: Lokayukta

LDALL LOKAYUKTA
 "Substantive" evidence against CM, others: Lokayukta
   Bangalore, Jul 21 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister B S
 Yeddyurappa was in deep trouble on Thursday with the Lokayukta
 indicting him and his ministers in a "huge racket" of illegal
 mining and found that his sons got kickbacks of Rs 30 crores
 from a mining firm.
   Retired Supreme Court Judge and Lokayukta Santosh N
 Hegde said there was "substantive" evidence against the
 chief minister and others in illegal mining that cost the
 exchequer Rs 1,800 crores.
   Recommending a further probe into illegal mining, he
 said a trust run by one of Yeddyurappa's sons got Rs 10 crore
 as donation from a mining company which gave another Rs 20
 crores for purchase of land.
   "Donations to the Chief Minister's trust involved
 collateral interest," he said.
   Hegde, who is likely to sumbit his report to the
 government on Monday, squarely held Yeddyurappa responsible
 for the happenings in mineral-rich Bellary where there is a
 "mafia-like situation" with every official being involved.
   Recommending a further probe into the issue, the
 Lokayukta, who has prepared a 4,000-page report, came down
 heavily on the Reddy brothers--G Janardhana Reddy and G
 Karunakar Reddy--both ministers in the BJP government and
 mining barons in Bellary district and also their aide and
 another minister Sriramulu.
   "They have created a new system altogether by which
 they could literally bleed other mining companies", Hegde told
 PTI. (More) PTI RS
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LDALL LOKAYUKTA 2
   The report has also indicted former Chief Minister and
 JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy, another Minister of Yeddyurappa
 cabinet, V Somanna, Congress Rajya Sabha member Anil Lad and
 BJP MLA from Kudligi in Bellary district Nagendra.
   "Everybody who has been in power in Karnataka has
 tried to put a finger in the till," he said implying that
 previous governments were also involved in the scam.
   Adding to the Yeddyurappa's discomfiture, the
 Karnataka High Court today dismissed all petitons filed by his
 son-in-law, sons and others against a lower court order taking
 congnisance of offences made out in a petition filed against
 the Chief Minister and others in alleged land scams.
   The day's developments came in handy for Congress and
 other Opposition parties to mount pressure on Yeddyurappa
 demanding his immediate resignation on the ground that he has
 lost all his Constitutional and moral right to continue in
 office.
   However, the BJP said it would wait for the full
 report before making any comments. "We won't react to
 selective leaks. We will wait for the full report," BJP
 spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters in New Delhi.
   The Lokayukta described the illegal mining scam as
 huge. "In the time period of 14 months, it is more than Rs
 1800 crore. The time period is between March 2009 to May 2010.
 It is the loss to the state exchequer. It is loss to the
 state".
   The report has given substantive evidence whether
 it is the Chief Minister, Ministers and miners in the illegal
 mining. "It's a voluminous evidence", he said, adding, the
 report runs into 4000-5000 pages.
   "It's a huge racket. As a matter of fact, the Chief
 Minister is responsible for what's happening in (mineral rich
 district of) Bellary because of the fact that the Minister in
 Charge (of the district G Janardhana Reddy) is owner of a
 mining company (Obalapuram Mining Company) and a mafia-like
 situation is created with every official being involved,"
 Hegde said. (More) PTI RS
 ASR