SC not to provide SIT probe report copy to HDK in mining case

The Supreme Court on Monday decided not to provide a copy of status report on the investigation being conducted by the Karnataka Lokayukta's Special Investigation Team in cases relating to grant of illegal mining leases to former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and others.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan allowed a plea made by senior advocate Vikas Singh and advocate Joseph Aristotle on behalf of the SIT for modification of the order passed on July 27.

The SIT, which started probe on the direction by the apex court on March 29, had filed its status report on June 20. The apex court on July 27 directed providing a copy of the SIT's status report to Kumaraswamy and others.

However, in an application, the SIT contended, “Providing the details in the status report will grossly affect the investigation as it contains details of the witnesses being examined and the materials that are collected.”

 It further claimed that the status report also contained confidential information with regard to the mode of investigation that was still on.

 The court modified its order and put the matter for further consideration on September 12.

Kumaraswamy was being investigated over alleged illegalities in grant of mining lease in favour of Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals, renewal of mining lease to Janthakal Enterprises and payment of Rs 150 crore bribe.

Activist T J Abraham had filed a complaint in the matter by relying upon a report prepared by then Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, indicting then chief ministers Kumaraswamy, N Dharam Singh and other bureaucrats in de-reservation of 11,797 square kilometres of forest land in 2002-03 in Ballari district and grant of illegal lease resulting in huge loss to the government.

The apex court had in 2012 stayed the investigation against another chief minister S M Krishna in the case related to de-reservation of forest land. The stay had continued to operate against Krishna.