Bengaluru: The Karnataka Congress party on Thursday released a copy of a requisition made to Governor of Karnataka on November 21, 2023 by sleuths of Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Karnataka Lokayukta to prosecute former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in illegal iron ore mining case. Karnataka Lokayukta sought prosecution of Kumaraswamy, now the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, under Provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
It may be recalled here the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on July 26 served a show cause notice against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah based on a petition also on July 26 by RTI activist T.J. Abraham accused Siddaramaiah of illegally availing plots in Mysuru city through Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The release of requisition copy for prosecution against Kumaraswamy is said to be a counter attack by the Congress party on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Janata Dal Secular (JDS) have embarked upon a padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru city to demand the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over scams in Mysore Urban Development Authority and Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, a State Government undertaking.
According to the copy to the Governor, SIT sleuths stated a Special Investigation Team under Karnataka Lokayukta was constituted on January 24, 2014 to investigate illegal iron ore mining mentioned in Karnataka Lokayukta reports of November 2013 and June 2017.
The SIT constituted by the then State Government investigated the alleged misuse of office by Kumaraswamy when he served as the Chief Minister by showing a favour to Janthkal Enterprises owned by mining baron Vinod Goel, besides, permitted the Enterprises to lift an old stock of about 1 lakh tonnes of iron ore.
It is alleged Kumaraswamy mounted pressure on the then Director of Mines and Geology to issue a mining licence to Janthakal Enterprises.
Over the requisition by Lokayukta against Kumaraswamy, Congress stated Kumaraswamy projects himself as a clean hand in public life but a requisition was made by Lokayukta to prosecute him in the illegal iron ore mining case.
The Congress said Kumaraswamy’s interest in mining iron ore has been established long back itself and stated “What amount of lobby he would have done to secure the portfolio of Heavy Industries and Steel in the Union Ministry?”
