New Delhi, Sept 7: The Supreme Court on Friday directed registration of FIR into the illegal export of iron ore from Karnataka. It also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a status report into the illegal exports within six weeks.
A Supreme Court-appointed committee on illegal mining in Karnataka its final report in February had come down heavily on mining companies and recommended the cancellation of their licences. Most of the violators were C-category mines.
Some of the mines were owned by the associates of the Bellary Reddy brothers. Licences of BJP MLA Anand Singh’s Associated Mining Company were also expected to be cancelled. Janardhana Reddy’s wife Lakshmi Aruna has a major role in the Associated Mining Company, one the companies named in the report.
Mines owned by Congress MP Anil Lad and minister V Somanna’s family were also under threat.