Daijiworld Media Network – Karwar (SP)
Karwar, Jul 7: A team deputed by the criminal investigation department (CID) of the state government has been trying to ascertain the actual value of ore illegally exported from Belekeri port. It subjected the witnesses present at the time of the confiscation of the iron ore stock by the Lokayukta team, on Tuesday July 6.
A few days ago, a Lokayukta team had evaluated the quantum and value of missing iron ore. Reportedly, there has been a huge gap between the evaluation conducted by Lokayukta team and the CID team. Reacting to a comment made by Justice Santosh Hegde about the necessity of a fresh evaluation process undertaken by the department, CID inspector general, M N Reddy, during his recent visit to the port, had said that his team has not taken up the task of fresh evaluation to check the veracity of the report of the Lokayukta team. “The CID team will take into account the report prepared by the Lokayukta team. At the same time, under Criminal Procedure Code, only the police team has the right to conduct such an investigation. The CID team has been deputed, based on a complaint filed by the forest department,” he clarified.
The CID team, headed by deputy superintendent of police, Muddu Mahadevaiah, subjected four persons, who had signed the report on confiscation of ore amounting to about Rs 250 crore, as witnesses on March 15 this year.. It is said that during the questioning of witnesses, Ramachandra Hammanna Naik, Mahesh N Gaonkar, Ashok Ramachandra Naik and Prakash S Naik, the team came to know that during the time the ore was confiscated, there were 24 dumps of iron ore, whereas at present, only 20 exist. Moreover, it has been observed that the sizes of the remaining dumps have truncated due to the removal of ore from them. The team identified the spots from where the dumps have disappeared, and marked the areas.
It is learnt that the CID team has issued notices to the forest, geology and mines, and ports departments, about their protracted inaction over the amassment of such a huge stock of ore in Belekeri port over a prolonged period.