Illegal mining issue: CBI questions ministers

The agency sleuths conducted searches at the Ennoble India company, a chit firm owned by Janardhana, which has now become defunct and reportedly seized some documents, CDs and two computers, police said.

The team, which questioned Janardhana and Health Minister Sreeramulu, visited five mining companies in Bellary, but details of documents seized were not available immediately.

Meanwhile, Janardhana alleged it was a conspiracy by the Congress which had led to the CBI probe. "They (Congress) are troubling us. They are trying to create problems for the BJP government in Karnataka," he told reporters here.

The CBI team, which arrived here last night, questioned OMC employees at its office in Havambhavi area and later visited Janardhana's residence.

The Centre had ordered the CBI probe into alleged illegal mining at Andhra Pradesh government's request. The Reddy brothers are also under Supreme Court's scanner over mining activities in parts of Karnataka bordering Andhra Pradesh, where they hold three mining licences.