Hand over illegal mining probe to CBI, says Hegde

Former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde on Monday favoured handing over probe into illegal mining in the state to the CBI, maintaining that the Obalapuram Mining Company owned by former minister G Janardhana Reddy indulged in such activity. The former SCJudge said the CBI move to arrest Janardhan Reddy is not a result of the illegal mining report that he submitted to the government as Lokayukta on July 27.

In this context, he noted that the state government has not given permission to the CBI to probe the matter, adding, Reddy’s arrest is a result of the sanction given by Andhra Pradesh in connection with some irregularities. “OMC may deny many times that they have indulged in illegal mining. But in the Lokayukta report we have said they did engage in that through documents we produced,” Hegde said.

Further, he said, probe into the entire illegal mining issue in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh should be handed over to the CBI. “I am of that opinion that even investigation in Karnataka should be given to the CBI.”