Hand over mining probe to CBI: Hegde
Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde has demanded that the implementation of the mining report be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Speaking to this newspaper, Justice Hegde said that he has faith in the Supreme Court, which is apprised of the extent of illegal mining in the Bellary-Hospet-Sandur area.
“I have faith in the Supreme Court and if the apex court hands over the illegal mining report to the CBI then one can expect some justice.
The state government will not take the step despite the fact that it needs a comprehensive probe by a central investigating agency,” said the former Lokayukta, who had authored the 25,000-page mining report, which claimed its first biggest casualty in the former chief minister B.S. Yedyurappa, who now faces arrest under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
He had earlier expressed his doubts on the committee set up by the government to implement the Lokayukta’s second mining report.
Commenting on the arrest of former tourism minister G. Janardhan Reddy by the CBI, Justice Hegde said the state government should have acted on his first mining report of 2008 and asked Mr Reddy to step down from the Cabinet.
“My first report had indicted the Reddy brothers in the illegal mining scam and for violating inter-state boundaries between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh but the government didn’t act on it. The impact would have been less if they had acted responsibly and taken correctional steps then,” said the former Lokayukta.
Post new comment