Mining scam: Hiremath to go after Shivakumar
The co-petitioner before the Supreme Court Green Bench, Mr S.R. Hiremath, on Wednesday said that another Interlocutory Application (IA) will be filed against former minister D.K. Shivakumar for his alleged role in causing huge loss to Mysore Minerals Ltd (MML) and making windfall profits to companies owned in benami by him.
Mr Hiremath said the IA will be filed over irregularities and illegalities during the period 2000-2005 highlighting Mr Shivakumar’s role. He said documents unearthed showed that eight firms, owned directly or indirectly by Mr Shivakumar, made windfall profits causing huge loss to state-owned MML. The firms are Victory Exports, Indian Rocks, Vallish, Suvi Granites, Skanda Enterprises, Sai Trading Company, Nety Project Solutions and S Pradeep Exports.
“Mr S.M. Krishna and Mr Dharam Singh were the Chief Ministers between 2000 and 2005. Around 9 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore was purchased at a throwaway price of Rs 15 or Rs 20 per metric tonne and exported at an exorbitant price. The respective managing directors of MML, including an IPS officer and other IAS officers, and former minister V. Muniyappa are involved in the irregularities. The IA will be filed soon,’’ Mr Hiremath said.
The first part of Lokayukta report had highlighted several lapses regarding various MoUs, raising and marketing contracts, joint ventures, between MML and other private companies and that the interest of MML was compromised. The Lokayukta report (Part-1) covered the period between 2000 and 2006. Mr Hiremath said the sale of 9 lakh MT of iron ore as dump or waste was possible because Mr Shivakumar was a powerful minister and that other politicians and bureaucrats also helped him. Mr Hiremath said that when the State government, based on Dr U.V. Singh’s report, ordered registering of cases against companies which violated rules, Mr Shivakumar had written to the then CM BSY to close the cases.
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