Plaint against Siddaramaiah in CBI court over renewing mining lease

A private complaint has been filed in the CBI special court against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, a senior IAS officer and eight mining companies.

The complainant, Rammurthy Gowda, has stated that Siddaramaiah on the advise of IAS officer Tushar Girinath, the then secretary, Department of Commerce and Industry renewed the mining licenses of eight companies without taking prior approval of the Central government.

The complaint stated that for any application to be determined after the amendment to the MMDR Act on January 12, 2015, no prospecting license or mining lease shall be granted except with the previous approval from the Central government.

The complaint stated that Siddaramaiah and Girinath, knowing well that the Central government was getting President's assent to the amendment to the MMDR Act, mooted the idea of issuing 'in principal approval'. Further, a legal opinion also pointed out that there was no provision to issue any `in principal approval'.

The complainant has sought an investigation under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act and for violations under the MMDR Act.

Gowda stated that he had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta with the very allegations in March 2015. The Lokayukta, however, had closed the complaint, he stated.