Firoz.T.Totanawala
The Bangalore Metro Reporter
1st October 2011 issue-
THE DRAGON ENTERS!
SC ORDERS CBI PROBE INTO
MINING IN KARNATAKA
CBI COMES TO KARNATAKA,
JOLT FOR BJP!
The Supreme
Court acting on the report of the CEC has ordered CBI enquiry into mining scams
in Karnataka too, particularly the AMC owned by Janardhana Reddy and his wife
Aruna Laxmi. The BJP Government, its former Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa and
his successor D.V.Sadananda Gowda continually refused the CBI probe into the
mining scam. They have made it a policy matter to not allow CBI probe any scams
in the state. And now, as the Supreme Court has ordered CBI probe, the BJP
leaders and the Government are in an embarrassing situation and the order has
come as a slap on the face of these leaders.
B. S. Yeddyurappa, the former
Chief Minister used to point blank reject
the demand for CBI probe into the mining scam which incurred thousands
of crores revenue loss to the Government and irreparable extensive damage to
the environment. Yedurappa had time and again proclaimed that he will not order
a CBI probe under any circumstances. Even his senior colleagues and few
national leaders also openly stated that they do not have faith in CBI.
Besides refusing the CBI probing the mining scam,
Yedurappa on the contrary gave ‘clean chit’ and character certificate to Reddy
Brothers. That too, not once but many a times and termed their business as
white as snow! In fact, when the Andhra Pradesh Government ordered a CBI probe
into Reddy Brothers’ Obalapuram Mining Corporation (OMC), the Central
Government wanted the State also to order the CBI probe as the scam involves
both the states. But, Yedurappa point black rejected the offer of the Union
Minister for Mines in this regard.
While Yedurappa and his Government continued to defend
Reddy’s, the Lokayukta probe team was piling damaging documents about their massive
manipulation in the mining scam. Even after the Lokayukta submitted the final
report giving sordid details of Reddy’s frauds and
recommended a CBI probe, the Government stood its ground of not ordering the
CBI probe. D. V. Sadananda Gowda who became the CM after the exit of Yedurappa also
reiterated the similar stand.
As the entire mining operations and frauds were
happening in Karnataka, the CBI had to conduct its probe in the State. But the
adamant attitude of the State Government headed by Yedurappa blocked the CBI.
CBI was helpless as it cannot probe a scam in the State without the permission
of State Government. Even the Central Government on its own cannot force a CBI
probe in the State, so, the only option left was the Supreme Court order. And here
too, the Supreme Court can order a CBI probe in a State only under special
circumstances.
While the different agencies probing the Mining scam clearly
revealed serious violations and manipulations by the Reddy’s, they continually proclaimed
their innocence by taking the plea that they do not have any mining in
Karnataka. But the ground reality was different. The Reddy’s controlled the
entire mining operations in the state. In fact, the Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in
his Mining scam report described Bellary as Republic of Bellary
Besides, the mining Mafia also encroached upon Government
and forest lands. When the Andhra Pradesh Government ordered a CBI probe in
2009 against the OMC company’s illegal mining etc., the Reddy’s got the stay
from the High Court which was finally vacated in December 2010. And the CBI then
raided many people and companies in the course of its probe, finally arresting Janardhana
Reddy who is in jail since then.
The CEC when submitted its final report to the Supreme Court,
it explained exhaustive details of the mining scam, encroachment etc. by mining
companies, particularly AMC, another firm owned by Janardhana Reddy and his
wife. The CEC also recommended CBI probe into the mining scams of AMC in
Karnataka. Besides, an NGO also filed a PIL against the Mining scam and made a
similar request to the Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court finally directed
the CBI to conduct the probe into the Mining activities of AMC in Karnataka.
With this order, CBI officially begins its probe and needless
to say that many heads are destined to fall in near future. It is not that the
CBI has not probed the Mining Mafia, but because its probe was limited to
Andhra Pradesh, it could only take action against the Mining companies there.
As far as the probe in Karnataka is concerned, the CBI
stands in a better position. There is the Lokayukta report prepared by U. V. Singh,
Principal Conservator of Forests which provide minute details of mining frauds.
Besides, the CBI itself has a lot of details gathered in course of its probe in
Andhra Pradesh. As Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are interlinked in the Mining
scam, the CBI will trace the beneficiaries of the Mining scam and book them.
Arguably, the BJP Government has received a severe jolt
with the Supreme Court ordering CBI probe in the State. One can be sure of many
BJP leaders following Janardhana Reddy to jail. The BJP leaders had openly
stated that they have taken a policy decision against CBI probe. But, what can
be their stand now? They have no option except to cope with the CBI probe as
the Supreme Court of India
Surely, the BJP Government in the state is between the devil
and the deep sea!
No comments:
Post a Comment