Karnataka Lokayukta report may name state CM in mining scam

Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, is once again in the eye of a storm with state Lokayukta justice Santosh Hegde's final report on illegal mining naming him as having received kickbacks from mining companies for illegal mining.

According to reports, the chief minister's two sons had been indicted in the case, one of them being an MP, who is indicted in the report for having received money through a trust, to help miners in Bellary.

Further, the report also said that the chief minister's sons sold their land to a mining company at an abnormally high amount, compared to the prevailing market price.

The Lokayukta, however, expressed scepticism whether the report would have much impact as not even 5 per cent of the interim report that he had submitted earlier had seen action.

Many politicians had been named in the interim report two years back for their role in illegal mining.

Commentators say the final report was likely to point at more influential names like ministers Janardhan Reddy, Karunakar Reddy and Sriramulu for carrying out illegal mining and transportation through front companies.
 
Justice hegde's report on illegal miners is believed to have named Karnataka minister V Somanna, whose son runs companies that are allegedly into illegal mining, BJP MLA B Nagendra for being a miner, Congress MP Anil Lad for carrying out mining with someone else's mining licence.