The Karnataka Cabinet’s decision to de-reserve largescale forest areas during 2002 has come back to haunt external affairs minister S.M. Krishna, the then chief minister of the state. He will now face probe following a high court order on Friday.
Justice N. Ananda while partly allowing Krishna’s petition held that he should be probed regarding the dereservation issue relating to the state cabinet decision dated 16 December 2002.
However, the court also gave a clean chit to Mr Krishna in the mismanagement of state-owned Mysore Mineral Ltd Company case. It was alleged that Mr Krishna was responsible for MML’s `32.22-crore loss, while it entered into contracts with private companies.
Mr Krishna had sought to quash the private complaint by T.J. Abraham and subsequently the FIR registered against him by the Lokayukta police based on the court directions.
The complainant mainly alleged that during Mr Krishna’s tenure as chief minister he had allowed illegal mining in the state and was instrumental in large-scale de-reservation of forest area (6832.48 hectares of prime iron ore-bearing lands).