The CBI has registered 22 cases against the exporters of iron ore who had allegedly exported more than 50,000 MT without valid permits from Belekari Port in Karwar district of Karnataka.
The 22 FIRs were registered following a Supreme Court order and the agency has named 15 companies, 6 partnership firms and 2 proprietory concerns as accused in these cases.
The cases have been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including criminal conspiracy, Prevention of Corruption Act and relevant sections of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and Karnataka Forest Act.
As many as 50 individuals have been named in the FIRs and more would be identified during investigation, CBI sources said here on Thursday.
The illegal mining of iron ore, without permit, including such mining in forest land in Bellary district of Karnataka, and connected trading is already under the investigation of CBI through the report of the Centrally Empowered Committee.
The Centrally Empowered Committee in September, 2012 apprised the Apex court that there were similar irregularities in extraction of 50.79 lakh MT from the forest areas of Karnataka during the years 2009 to 2010. The Supreme Court had ordered enquiry into the recommendations of CEC with a direction that all agencies and authorities shall extend full cooperation to the CBI investigation.
The CBI had earlier filed a Preliminary Enquiry Report and identified that there were 22 cases of exporters who have exported over 50000 MTs of illegally mined iron ore. CBI also identified 39 other exporters who had exported illegally mined iron ore which was less than 50000 MT. The list of 39 exporters who had exported illegally mined iron ore was referred to the Karnataka Government for action.