ED raids Karnataka Cong MLA, others in illegal iron ore export case

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided premises linked to Karnataka Congress MLA Satish Krishna Sail and some others as part of a money laundering investigation against the legislator in a case related to alleged illegal export of iron ore, official sources said.

At least 15 premises in Karnataka, Goa and Mumbai are being searched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

Sail is a Congress MLA representing the Karwar assembly constituency in Uttara Kannada district.

Sail, according to the sources, has been accused of exporting illegally mined iron ore which was seized by forest officials at Belekeri port in Karwar, Karnataka.

This caused "loss" to government exchequer for an amount of about Rs 38 crore but the actual value of illegally exported ore is worth hundreds of crores of rupees, the sources said.

The case originated from a 2010 probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta, which discovered about eight lakh tons of illegally transported iron ore from Bellary to Belekeri port.

The Karnataka High Court last year had ordered the suspension of the seven-year prison sentence of the MLA in this case.

A special court had previously found Sail and others guilty in multiple cases related to the illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port.