Mining issue gets murkier

Police notice to Baldotas stayed.

The Karnataka High Court on Monday passed an interim order staying the notice of the Bellary rural police to Rahul Baldota, executive director, MSPL mining company.

Bellary rural police sub-inspector (law and order)had issued a notice to Rahul Baldota asking him to appear before him in connection with a complaint filed by B V Shrinivas Reddy, managing director, Obalapuram Mining Company. Reddy had reportedly complained that he had faced a threat to his life from Rahul Baldota.

The Baldotas, instead of appearing before the police, sought a copy of the complaint which was reportedly not provided to them. They then filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court circuit bench (on November 14) praying that the notice by the police be quashed. They have named Karnataka government as respondents. Admitting the writ petition, the court stayed the notice for four weeks and ordered issuance of notices to seven respondents and adjourned the hearing to December 9.

The counsel for Baldotas, Ram Jethmalani who appeared before the court argued that the police had erred in issuing the notice as the complaint by the OMC managing director was illegal and had been lodged at the instigation of district in-charge minister Janardhan Reddy. He said, the police, instead of registering the complaint and preparing the FIR had sent the notices to Baldota. He asked for the notice to be quashed and if at all any inquiry is to be conducted, it should be by an independent agency like the CID.

The judge ordered an issuance of emergent notices to Shrinivas Reddy and Obalapuram Mining Company while asking the advocate general to receive the notices on behalf of other five respondents.