‘Miners paid Yeddyurappa Rs 339 crore’

DHNS

• NGO submits 117-page document supporting allegation to CEC

 

Hubli, 15 Mar 2012: Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya president S R Hiremath on Thursday said he had submitted a 117-page document to the Central Empowered Committee, to prove that B S Yeddyurappa’s family had received Rs 339 crore as bribe from iron ore companies to abet illegal mining in the State.

 

Addressing a press conference, Hiremath said the CEC, constituted by the Supreme Court would hear a case on March 20 pertaining to theft of iron ore from Belekeri Port and its export.

 

The CEC had asked the petitioner, Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya, and respondents, including Adoni Enterprises and Jindal Steels, to be present during the hearing. The CEC would investigate the financial transactions between Yeddyurappa’s family members and the mining companies, and submit a report to the Supreme Court.

 

He said the SPS had requested the Supreme Court to order the handing over of the illegal mining case to the CBI for investigation. He hoped that, based on the CEC report, the Supreme Court would order a CBI inquiry into illegal mining in the State.

 

Hiremath pointed out that there was a close nexus between iron ore companies, politicians and officials, which had resulted in looting of valuable natural resources of the State for decades.

 

The SPS was in possession of documents showing the involvement of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa in illegal mining.

 

He said, in its submission to the CEC on March 1, the State government had requested the CEC not to recommend a CBI probe against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.

 

“The State government is trying to protect Yeddyurappa. This clearly implies his involvement in supporting illegal mining,” Hiremath said.

 

He said the Supreme Court had banned mining activities by six companies in Andhra Pradesh.

 

Of those six companies, four belonged to Bellary Reddy brothers. Referring to former minister Sriramulu’s statement that he had given Rs 200 crore to the BJP and paid Rs 10 crore per month to Yeddyurappa, the SPS president urged Sriramulu to disclose the source of that huge amount.