'Ex-CM bent rules to grant mining licence'

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa’s camp today hit back at JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy charging him with bending rules while granting mining licence to a firm when he was at the helm of the state.

Kumaraswamy approved mining lease of 550 acres to Sai Venkateshwara Minerals at Sandur in Bellary district, an area which had been notified as “reserve” and “heldup”, B J Puttaswamy, political secretary to the chief minister, alleged at a press meet here. The orders granting mining lease, rejecting objections from officials, was approved on October 6, 2007, a couple of days before Kumaraswamy demitted office, he alleged. Puttaswamy, has been bringing to the fore alleged irregularities that took place during the rule of Kumaraswamy, after the JD(S) leader levelled corruption charges against the CM.

Yeddyurappa charged that the former chief minister had received Rs 167 crore from mine owners.

Puttaswamy had earlier alleged that bank accounts owned by Kumaraswamy’s family members received amounts totalling Rs 167 crore. Puttaswamy demanded that Kumaraswamy respond to allegations of misuse of power and nepotism in allotting sites to his relatives, among others. “So far Kumaraswamy has not replied to my charges,” he said. While Yeddyurappa returned the lands granted to his family members, Kumaraswamy’s relatives have not reciprocated, such a gesture, he said.

Last week, Kumaraswamy had accused Yeddyurappa of indulging in financial irregularities in agriculture and horticulture departments by releasing funds for works which, he said, were not executed.