Three Karnataka ex-CMs named in mining scam FIR
December 8th, 2011 - 9:05 pm ICT by IANS
Bangalore, Dec 8 (IANS) In a major embarrassment to the Congress, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday came under police scanner for his alleged role in allowing illegal mining in Karnataka when he was the state’s chief minister 1999-2004.
The police attached to the Lokayukta (ombudsman) Thursday registered a first information report (FIR), that marks the formal beginning of investigation, against Krishna and two other former chief ministers, N. Dharam Singh, also of Congress, and H.D. Kumaraswamy of Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S).
Singh and Kumaraswamy are now Lok Sabha members from Bidar in north Karnataka and Ramanagaram near Bangalore respectively.
With Thursday’s FIR, four former Karnataka chief ministers, representing all three major political parties in the state - the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the JD-S, are now under probe by the Lokayukta police.
B.S. Yeddyurappa became the first BJP chief minister to face the police probe and also the first former Karnataka chief minister to be jailed in two corruption cases. He is now out on bail.
A Lokayukta spokesperson told reporters that besides Krishna, Dharam Singh and Kumaraswamy, the FIR has also been registered against 11 serving and retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.
The police are to complete the probe by Jan 6 and submit their report to the Lokayukta special court Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao.
Rao ordered Dec 3 the probe against the 14 on a private complaint by a Bangalore businessman and social activist, T.J. Abraham, who alleged that Krishna, Dharam Singh and Kumaraswamy permitted illegal mining in return for financial gains.
Krishna was the chief minister 1999-2004. Dharam Singh succeeded him and stayed in office till 2006 as head of the Congress-JD-S coalition. Kumaraswamy took over from Singh and headed the JD-S-BJP coalition and lasted in office for 20 months.
All three have been denying that they had permitted illegal mining. The names of all the three had been mentioned often since the illegal mining scandal broke out in 2006.
Krishna issued a statement in New Delhi Thursday denying the charges. He had also done so soon after the court had ordered the probe Dec 3.
- BJP demands Krishna's resignation over illegal mining - Dec 09, 2011
- Krishna moves high court to quash illegal mining case - Dec 09, 2011
- Illegal mining: Court allows probe of Krishna, Kumaraswamy's role (Lead) - Jan 20, 2012
- Illegal mining: Embarrassment for Congress as Krishna faces probe - Dec 03, 2011
- Politicians' illegal mining links leave Karnataka battered (Lead News Analysis) - Jul 22, 2011
- Apex court to hear Krishna's plea Friday - Jan 26, 2012
- Krishna moves apex court against Lokayukta proceedings - Jan 24, 2012
- BJP says Congress, JD-S encouraged mining mafia in Karnataka - May 09, 2011
- Yeddyurappa fast running out of options (News Analysis) - Jul 22, 2011
- Krishna terms mining scam charges 'unholy' bid to malign him - Dec 08, 2011
- Lokayukta denies naming Krishna in mining report - Jul 23, 2011
- Files on Congress, JD-S corruption missing: Yeddyurappa - May 02, 2011
- Illegal mining: Probe against Krishna stayed - Dec 15, 2011
- Supreme Court relief for Krishna (Lead) - Jan 27, 2012
- Illegal mining case: Hearing on Krishna's plea Thursday - Dec 14, 2011
Tags: bharatiya janata party, bidar, bjp, chief ministers, corruption cases, dharam singh, external affairs minister, fir, indian administrative service, indian police service, information report, karnataka chief minister, krishna, kumaraswamy, lok sabha members, north karnataka, police probe, police scanner, s singh, social activist