Mining scam : Court grants interim bail to former CM H D Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: A city sessions court on Wednesday granted a seven-day interim bail for former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy in the illegal mining case. “I am ready to cooperate with the special investigation team (SIT) of anti-corruption watchdog (Lokayukta),’’ former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy told reporters in Raichur.

Kumaraswamy is in Raichur district to strengthen Janata Dal (Secular) party for next Assembly elections scheduled to be held in May 2018.

“My opponents are trying to silence me by filing false cases. It is a political conspiracy against me,’’ Kumaraswamy said. He filed an application before the court seeking interim anticipatory bail on Tuesday.

“I have nothing to comment on the interim bail for Kumaraswamy. I will respect the court order,’’ SIT Inspector General of Police K S R Charan Reddy said.

The SIT arrested Revenue Department Principal Secretary Ganga Ram Baderia on Monday. He is accused of allowing Janthakal Enterprises to lift iron ore based on two forged letters purportedly issued by Ministry of Environment and Forests.

In the file noting it was stated that there was pressure from the Chief Minister to accord permit to Janthakal within two hours. Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister during that time.

Since the mining scam occurred during the tenures of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular and N. Dharam Singh of the Congress in 2005-07, the apex court also made them and then 11 serving and retired officers as respondents in the case.

The top court's division bench comprising Justices P.C. Ghose and R.F. Nariman also restrained all other courts, including the Karnataka High Court from passing any order in the case.

Baderia renewed the firm’s mining lease for 40 years from 1985 to 2005 and from 2006-2025 on August 23, 2007 through two notifications.

According to a complaint by Right to Information (RTI) activist T.J. Abhraham to the anti-corruption body, the former chief ministers and many officials were involved in de-reserving forest areas in the rich mineral district (Ballari), about 330km from Bengaluru in the state's northern region.