The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to register a case tomorrow to probe the illegal mining of 5.07 million tonnes of iron ore from forests in Karnataka.
The case, being filed on the directions of the Supreme Court, is also likely to probe the role of the state police and other authorities, tasked to check large-scale mining and export of the ore.
CBI Director A P Singh held meetings with senior officials to finalise the case, in which the agency might probe as to how around 0.8 million tonnes of ore seized by the forest department was allowed to be exported to various foreign companies from the Belekeri port, official sources said.
It was not immediately known whether the case would be against some corporate houses or unknown people to begin with, the sources said.
The role of the state police’s CB-CID, which was questioned by the SC, will also come under the scanner of the probe agency, sources said. An SC forest bench headed by Aftab Alam had questioned the Karnataka government as to how law enforcing agencies, particularly the CB-CID, were unaware of illegal mining on such a huge scale in its own forest reserves and the transportation of minerals to the Belekeri port by using around five lakh trucks over a period of 17 months.
It is alleged that the iron-ore was transported to Belekeri Port between January 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010 and exported to foreign companies especially in China and Pakistan.
The Apex court had appointed a Central Empowered Committee(CEC), which recommended an in depth investigation of the mining and exports of the ore.
The two CEC reports of April 27 and September six had suggested a probe to find out officials responsible for various associated illegalities and thereafter to take appropriate follow up action against the erring exporters, stevedores, suppliers, transporters, lessees, the stockyard personnel and the officials.
In the September six report, the CEC recommended that CBI must investigate all aspects of the illegalities associated with raising, transportation, sale and purchase, storage and disposal of about 3.4 mn tonnes of iron ore exported from January 1, 2009 to May 31,2010 by four exporters.
