One more Karnataka lawmaker held in illegal ore export case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late Friday arrested Independent legislator Satish Sail for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore illegal export of iron ore from Karnataka's Belekeri port in 2009-10.

"Sail was arrested after he was summoned for interrogation in our Bangalore office in connection with the case, which is being investigated on the directive of the Supreme Court," a CBI spokesperson told IANS from New Delhi.

Sail's arrest came a day after BSR regional party lawmaker T.H. Suresh Babu from Kampli in Bellary district was nabbed Thursday in the same case and was remanded to the CBI custody Friday till Sep 27 for interrogation.

"Sail had allegedly purchased the stolen iron ore from the other accused and exported it illegally from the Belekeri port between Jan 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010," CBI official Kanchan Prasad said.

Sail, who won from the Karwar assembly constituency in Uttara Kannada district, about 520km from Bangalore, is owner of Mallikarjuna Shipping Company, which operates from Karwar and Belekeri ports on the western coast of the state.

According to the FIRs filed by the CBI, Sail and Babu were allegedly involved with dozen others in the illegal mining in Bellary district, and transportation and export of 9.86 lakh tonnes of iron ore from the Belekeri port.

An additional 3.5 million tonnes of confiscated iron ore that was impounded at the port was also illegally exported, according to the charge sheet the CBI had filed in the local court at Karwar.

Sleuths of the CBI raided Sail's shipping firm and his residence at Karwar Sep 14 and recovered incriminating documents, which might throw further light on the case.

Like Babu, Sail was arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Two other lawmakers - Anand Singh of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and B. Nagendra, an independent from Kudligi assembly segment in Bellary district, are also under the CBI scanner for interrogation as they are among the other accused.