NGO seeks CBI probe into mining case

A petition seeking a CBI probe has been filed before the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee against the Karnataka government-run mining company, Mysore Minerals Ltd (MML) and private companies having joint ventures with it.

Charging that the MoU singed by MML with some of the private companies had nexus with family members of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, Dharwad based NGO Samaj Parivartana Samudaya demanded that this “deep routed nexus” be unearthed. 

The NGO said there was a link between the JVs and the alleged acquisition of assets disproportionate to known sources of income of  Yeddyurappa and his family members.  
The petition filed by S R Hiremath and P Vishnu Kamath said MML had formed a joint venture company Vijaynagar Minerals Private Limited (VMPL) in association with JSW.

“Due to irresponsible operation of VMPL, the MML suffered huge loss despite huge demand for iron ore mining in overseas market,” the petition said. The petitioners also alleged that there were links between the modifications of MoU signed between MML and private companies in allotting mines and crediting of over Rs 40 crore during that period to education trusts owned by Yeddyurappa family members as donations from mining companies. This was nothing but quid pro quo, the petition said.

“The Joint Legislature House committee of Karnataka on public sector undertaking also noted the serious lapses in the functioning of MML and indicted that the company officials  acted in favour of private companies instead of upholding legitimate interest of state-run undertaking,” the petition charged.