Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Jun 28: Speaking to a newspaper here on Sunday June 27, Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde refuted the Chief Minister’s assertion that no mining mafia is functioning in the state. He revealed that an officer deputed by him to Bellary a few months ago, had been asked by a local bigwig as to whether he had obtained prior permission of the district in-charge minister. He claimed that the officer concerned had conducted some investigations and wanted to book a case. But he was surprised when the local forest official did not pay heed to his request, the local inspector also turned down his plea while the district superintendent of police gave a vague reply that he would see what can be done.
The police inspector had in fact, instead of registering the case, called a local leader, who in turn asked the official whether he had obtained the permission of the district in-charge minister to conduct the investigation, Hegde said. The caller also threatened the official of dire consequences, while the inspected warned him of booking him under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Justice Hegde revealed.
Hegde thought that the illegal storage and export of iron ore at Belekeri and Karwar ports could run into thousands of crores, and a detailed investigation alone can bring out the truth. He said that he decided to resign, after Karwar deputy conservator of forests, R Gokul, who had investigated the Belekeri iron ore scam case, was harassed by minister, Krishna J Palemar. “I hope that my resignation will save the official from further harassment,” he added.