CBI team visits Reddy mines in Bellary dist

A CBI team on Friday visited the Associated Mining Company and Deccan Mining Syndicate in Ramghad mining area in Sandur taluk in connection with its ongoing probe into illegal mining in Karnataka.

The 10-member team headed by CBI Superintendent of Police, Subramanya Rao, armed with samples of the iron ore from Belikeri port which was illegally exported to various countries, compared it with iron ore in AMC and DMC mining areas, CBI sources said.

AMC is owned by Aruna Lakshmi, wife of jailed mining baron and former Minister G Janardhana Reddy which has lease on 25 acres in Ramghad. According to CBI sources, AMC had transported 80,000 tonnes of iron ore to Belikeri port from Ramghad mining area on March 23 last year. CBI officials have also collected iron ore samples from Krishnapatnam port, which belonged to DMC, sources said.

According to agency sources, the DMC allegedly routed its iron ore through the Obulapuram Mining Corporation belonging to Reddy and OMC illegally exported the mineral from Krishnapatnam port. CBI is being assisted by experts from Mines and Geology department, sources said.

Reddy along with OMC Managing Director B V Srinivasa Reddy are in judicial custody at the Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad following their arrest by CBI in connection with illegal mining on August 4.