The CBI, which is probing irregularities committed by iron ore mining firm Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by former Karnataka minister G. Janardhan Reddy, has now started scrutinising satellite imagery of the areas where the company allegedly carried out unauthorised mining.
According to sources, initial probe by the agency has established that Obalapuram Mining Company was mining from areas which were not allocated to it. Probe has revealed that the iron ore, extracted from outside the licensed areas, was shown to from legitimate areas, sources added.
“The agency has collected satellite imageries from the authorities concerned in this connection. Initial scrutiny has revealed that certain conditions were violated both in terms of mining area and quantity of ore being mined on the basis of forged documents,” sources said. “We may question certain senior officials of the Karnataka government in this connection,” sources added.
The CBI sleuths are planning to question officials of the forest, revenue and police departments of Karnataka in this connection, sources added. There are also reports that the company indulged in mining activities even after expiry of lease period in certain areas of Andhra Pradesh as well as Karnataka, sources said, adding it is being further probed.
“Illegal mining activities were carried out by the company in violation of many laws, including—the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, 1957, Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Environmental Protection Act, 1984, Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2006, and Panchayati Raj Act,” sources said. The agency officials are also planning to question senior officials of revenue, weights and measurements, commercial taxes and labour departments of the Karnataka government, sources added.