CBI arrests BJP MLA in illegal iron ore export scam

BJP MLA and former Karnataka Minister Anand Singh was today arrested by CBI in connection with alleged illegal export of iron ore from Belikeri Port in Karnataka.

"Singh was arrested in the city," CBI officials told PTI here.

Singh is the fourth MLA to be arrested by CBI in the case after B Nagendra and Satish Sail, both independents, and Suresh Babu of BSR Congress headed by former minister B Sriramulu, a close aide of mining baron and former minister Janardhana Reddy, now in jail in an illegal mining case.

The BJP MLA's arrest comes in the wake of CBI Special Court rejecting his anticipatory bail plea on October 7.

CBI probing the case had intensified search operations to apprehend Singh, who was believed to be in Singapore, and issued a lookout notice for him.

The central agency had summoned Singh for questioning in September, but he had failed to turn up and fled reportedly to Singapore from where he filed an anticipatory bail application before the CBI court on medical grounds, fearing arrest.

Thereafter CBI arrested Singh's aide and employee Muthiyala Shivakumar on September 23.

The illegal export from Belekeri port in Uttara Kannada district was exposed by former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde, who in his report, had said 7.74 million tonnes of iron ore were illegally exported between 2006-2007 and 2010-11, causing huge loss to the exchequer.

Those in custody include two former IAS officers and two Indian Forest Service officers.