MML irregularities yet to be probed

Despite forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe illegal mining in the State, the alleged irregularities in State-owned Mysore Minerals Ltd (MML) remains unprobed.

The Lokayukta report part-1 had named five IAS officers and an IPS officer, who were Managing Directors of the MML, as responsible for the losses of Rs 642 crore.

Let alone MML, the State government has not referred the Lokayukta report part-1 to SIT. “The State government in February this year passed an order creating the SIT to probe the illegal mining cases stated in the Lokayukta report part-2. There is no reference to the Lokayukta report part-1 in its order referring cases to the SIT. Hence, the only one FIR registered in connection with MML by the SIT is with reference to sale of waste dumps, which was mentioned in part-2,” a senior official told Deccan Herald.

The part-1 report had named IAS officers V Umesh, I R Perumal, K S Manjunath, D S Ashwath and Mahendra Jain and IPS officer Jija Harisingh, all of whom held the post of Managing Director at MML.

This apart, co-petitioner before the Supreme Court Green Bench S R Hiremath's interlocutory application (IA) alleged that eight companies, belonging to Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and his brother and Member of Parliament D K Suresh, purchased iron ore from MML at a throwaway price and caused a loss of Rs 800 crore to State exchequer.

Official sources said that the decision not to hand over the MML case to SIT was taken based on the replies submitted by the officials named in the part-1 report. “The Commerce and Industry Department which examined the issue concluded that it would not be possible to come to a conclusion that the officials named in the report individually and personally are responsible for the losses as mentioned in the Lokayukta report. The matter was again taken for examination and is still under consideration,” source said.

When contacted, Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee said he was not sure whether the MML case was sent back to the Lokayukta. “In the first order refering cases to SIT, the irregularities in the MML was included. It was reconsidered, but I am not sure if it is still with the government.”

Meanwhile, a senior Lokayukta official said the only case in connection with MML was referred to Lokayukta police through a court referred private complaint, which is presently stayed by the Supreme Court. A private complainant T J Abraham had submitted the Lokayukta report part-1 before the Lokayukta special court listing three former chief ministers, S M Krishna, N Dharam Singh and H D Kumaraswamy and officials as the accused.

“Former chief minister S M Krishna's special leave petition before the Supreme Court is listed for hearing on December 16. However, this was only pertaining to allegations of de-reservation of forest area for mining during Krishna's tenure. The FIR registered in this private complaint was stayed by the Supreme Court. Apart from this court referred case, the Lokayukta police is not investigating any case pertaining to irregularities in MML,” the official said.