Janardhana Reddy cases not closed yet

The premiere investigating agency Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may have closed multi-crore iron ore export scam against for minister Janardhan Reddy at the initial investigation stage but there are still other cases pending against him. 

It is reported that the CBI has dropped investigations only against those cases that exported iron ore from Goa, Andhra and Mangaluru ports but investigations into illegal mining by Obalapuram Mining Company (OMC) and Associate Mining Company (AMC) are on, reports Kannada Prabha.

It was rumoured last week that cases against former minister Janardhana Reddy and other politicians accused in illegal iron ore scams were dropped but it was later learnt that it was just a rumour. All most all the cases that CBI has dropped are related to other mining companies. The CBI has stopped investigations at primary level in about 60 cases. But investigations into Belekeri, OMC, AMC and other mining cases in which Janardhana Reddy, legislators Suresh Babu, Anand Singh, Satish were accused are still on. 

The fact that majority of the cases which were dropped for reasons of lack of evidences did cause some amount of suspicion as they were all cases that had to do with the owners of the companies such as Dream Logistics, SB Logistics, Arihanth Tiles Marbles and a few (totalling 50) were that had allegedly exported iron ore. 

Between 2006 -07 to 2010-11, a total of 12.57 crore tonnes iron ore was exported from the State and of this Rs 2.98 crore tonnes were exported illegally from Goa and Krishna Pattanam. Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde had investigated into the illegal exports in his four-year tenure and had submitted a report in this regard.

Interestingly, not only CBI Karnataka but also CBI Goa have closed the investigations at preliminary stage itself into these cases. Cases of the Karnataka iron ore exported through Panaji and Murmugoa ports were also investigated. At various stages, verification was also conducted. The Goa CBI has written to the State Government stating that there are no evidences to book cases against these companies and to take legal action and hence the cases are closed.

Maximum illegal export of iron ore from the State occurred in 2009 amounting to 1.27 crore tonnes. In, 2008, 53 lakh tonnes and in 2010, 48 lakh tonnes were illegally exported according to the Lokaukta report.

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