CEC summons Adani, JSW Steel for hearing on March 20

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), has summoned Adani Enterprises, JSW Steel and Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), the non-government organisation and the main petitioner in an illegal mining case before the Supreme Court on March 20. All the parties have been asked to present their arguments on the issues in the interlocutory application (IA) filed by SPS.

In its IA dated January 16, the SPS had raised comprehensive set of matters involving the powerful nexus of the giant corporate houses, miners, officials and people’s representatives, including former chief minister of Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa. The hearing before the CEC is likely to become a turning point in the case as the Supreme Court is set to resume hearing on the public interest litigation on illegal mining on March 23.

SPS founder S R Hiremath told reporters on Saturday he would be arguing the case before CEC on Tuesday, while Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court lawyer is arguing the case in the apex court.

The NGO has unearthed an array of documents and made a detailed submission to the CEC, including annexure totalling 113 pages outlining in vivid details with supporting documents against Yeddyurappa and the nexus between him and the two big corporate houses, Adani and JSW Steel. The SPS has also submitted the report of former Lokayukta of Karnataka Justice Santosh Hegde as a proof.

According to final report of the Lokayukta submitted to the state government on July 27, JSW Steel had received massive quantity of illegal ore to the extent of 1.3 million metric tonnes by overloading and thereby caused a loss of Rs 324 crore to the state exchequer. JSW through its subsidiary South West Mining Company had also paid a bribe of Rs 30 crore to the relatives of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in return for a favourable recommendation from the government of Karnataka for sanctioning a captive mining lease.

Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) is alleged to have exported 550,000 tonnes of seized iron ore dumped at Belekeri port on the west coast.

“Considering the powerful corporations involved like the Adanis and the influence they wield in the state and outside, the comprehensive investigation into these alleged serious misdeeds of AEL could only be effectively conducted by an external agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). We have urged the Apex Court to order an inquiry by CBI into this matter,” Hiremath said.