H K Patil writes to CM Siddaramaiah on apathy over illegal mining cases

Bengaluru/Raichur: Karnataka Law Minister H K Patil on Saturday said he had written a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressing concerns over administration apathy towards taking illegal mining cases in the state to a logical end.

He also wanted the culprits to be punished, and the lost wealth recovered.

The senior minister, who is also in-charge of Parliamentary Affairs, has written a seven-page letter dated June 18, pointing out that only 7.6 per cent of all the cases related to illegal mining that allegedly took place between 2007 and 2011 leading to the loss of an estimated Rs 1.5 lakh crore to the government, have been investigated so far.

In the letter he noted that there is outrage among people that the government has not shown honesty and commitment in its efforts towards ensuring commensurate punishments and recovery of the state's wealth, despite such a large-scale loot.

He also reminded Siddaramaiah that he had led a 320-km foot march to Ballari against the illegal mining scam in 2010, when the Congress was in opposition.

Patil had headed the Cabinet sub-committee, during the first Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-18), which had brought the extent of loss caused by illegal mining.

In Raichur, replying to questions by reporters regarding the letter, Patil said, "...I have brought it to the notice of the chief minister what has to be done, thereby it has to serve the state and the government has to get a good name, so the letter has been written.

It is not a political letter. It is written in the interest of the state and its people. The CM has seen the letter and has taken the matter seriously." Asked whether he is suspicious that documents on illegalities may be destroyed, he said with the intention that such things should not happen. He has cautioned the administration and the concerned department.

Noting that the Congress party has done a padayatre (foot march) against illegal mining fifteen years ago, the minister said, despite so many years and inspite of cabinet sub-committee under 2013-18 Siddaramaiah-led Congress government submitting a report about the quantum of loss, the action taken is not satisfactory.

"Out of more than 12,000 illegal mining cases being registered, only about 7 per cent have been investigated. In just 2 per cent of these seven per cent, which means in only 0.2 per cent of the total number of cases, verdicts have come and cases have seen a conclusion," he said.

Asserting that a logical end has to be given to all these pending cases, Patil said the government lost Rs 1.5 lakh crore because of illegal mining, and with the intention that serious steps are taken in this regard, he has written a letter to the CM.

He said nine cases were handed over for the CBI probe. They said they will probe only three among them and sent back the remaining six. Similarly, the cases that were referred to the Special investigation Team (SIT), most of them have still not been subjected to probe. "So I have written the letter." Patil, in his letter, has said that the government can still act as there is still time.

Asking the government to take all the necessary measures, he suggested appointing a Recovery Commissioner as per the provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1946.

He has also sought the creation of a new SIT to take up investigation of cases that have not been probed, and setting up a special court to try these cases.