Mehfuz Ali Khan was only a private secretary to jailed mining baron G Janardhan Reddy. But he seems to be not an ordinary person as his bank account shows that the total transactions he made was whopping Rs 103.09 core in just nine months. Besides he had also owned 250 acres of land near Bangalore International Airport.
The CBI, which is probing the illegal mining activities of Reddy, also unearthed the rags to riches story of Khan.
Khan, who is currently under the judicial custody in connection with the illegal mining, was once an eyes and ears of former minister Reddy and managed all his affairs.
The supplementary charge sheet filed by the central investigating agency in the CBI special court at Hyderabad recently shows that Khan a native of Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh was a friend of Suresh Babu, Kampli MLA. Through Babu, an engineering graduate Khan got the job in Bramhani Industries limited, owned by Reddy in 2007. In 2008 Khan became close to Reddy.
In early 2009 he resigned from the Bramhani Industries limited and floated new company Devi Enterprises a partnership with one V Chandrashekar in March 2009 at Bellary. This firm opened a bank account in ING Vysya Ban at Bellary Account no : 202011012661 in March 2009. Between 30.3.2009 from 13.12.2009, the company made total transaction of Rs 103.09 crore.
The CBI said during the investigation it was found that Devi enterprises had entered agreement on excavation and sell the iron ore at cheaper rates with several mining firms.
Khan, who was arrested by the CBI September 2012, also took gun licence by claiming that he was private secretary to the then tourism minister Janardhan Reddy.
He also entered into an agreement for the sale of land around 250 acres near Bangalore International Airport with Third Eye Infrastructure firm.
The CBI charge sheet also revealed that the then chief minister of Karnataka virtually acted as per Reddy’s instructions in granting mining permission.
Abdul Wahid, Director of Veeyam Private Limited approached the then chief minister seeking renewal of his mining leases in 20.23 hectares land in Bellary in 2009. Then Wahid was told that without the consent of Reddy, no proposal on mining leases would move in the Department of Mines and Geology in Karnataka.
Then Reddy and Khan both approached Wahid and said latter would be real incharge of the mines but a small percentage would be given to him (Wahid). After Wahid agreed for that, Devi Enterprises of Khan signed an agreement in which Wahid has to sale the ore to Devi. Soon after this, the CM approved the mining lease belong to Wahid, says the CBI charge sheet.
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