CBI team inspects Reddy brothers' mining firms in Bellary

 A CBI team today inspected records of five mining firms owned by Karnataka Minister and mining magnate G Janardhana Reddy and his family members facing charges of illegal mining.

The 10-member team led by CBI DIG C V Lakshminarasimha, accompanied by officials from Mines and Geology and Survey departments, also inspected the mining areas of the five firms and another mining company.

CBI had raided the premises of the companies on January 13 in the wake of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee CEC) submitting its report in which it recommended cancellation of mining lease to the Reddy brothers' firms in Andhra Pradesh for allegedly flouting environmental laws.

CEC was asked to examine whether mining was going on in the forest area of Bellary region in Ananthapur district comprising border areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and if so, what action should be taken to stop it.

During today's exercise, the officials perused the map of mining areas for which licences had been granted to three units of Obulapuram Mining Corporation, Ananthapur Mining Company, Bellary Iron Ore Company and Y Mahabaleshwarappa and Sons Mining Company, official sources said here.

The CBI team inspected records of number of transport permits secured by these firms, the quantum of iron ore mined by them in Tumti and Vitlapura mining areas.The inspection of records would continue till February 12, sources said