Karnataka’s Loka-yukta police on Thursday registered an FIR against external affairs minister S.M. Krishna, a former chief minister of Karnataka, two other former chief ministers — N. Dharam Singh and H.D. Kumaraswamy, and 11 bureaucrats, alleging they had facilitated illegal mining.
The FIR was filed after Lokayukta special court judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao took cognisance of a private complaint by social activist T.J. Abraham on November 27, alleging the three former CMs were responsible for large-scale illegal mining in the state.
The court had on December 3 directed the Lokayukta police to investigate these char-ges. Mr Krishna said he had no role in the issuance of licences for mining as CM and expressed confidence that the judiciary will put to rest “unholy attempts” at character assassination.
He said while his legal team would take “appropriate action at the appropriate time”, he thought it necessary to clarify matters as “silence on my part would give rise to speculation”.
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Zardari ‘stable’ at Dubai clinic as rumours fly
Islamabad/Dubai, Dec. 8: Pakistan’s beleaguered President Asif Ali Zardari was set to undergo further tests at Dubai’s American Hospital Thursday after suffering a minor heart attack, while rumours continued to swirl about his possible resignation. The Pakistan government indicated Mr Zardari might return home by Saturday or Sunday. A spokesman said his “condition was stable, he is fine”. — AFP