BANGALORE: The Lokayukta report on illegal mining today strongly indicted Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyruappa, Reddy brothers and various others and recommended their prosecution under Prevention of Corruption Act and other laws.In damning evidence against the Chief Minister, the Lokayukta headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde found that a mining company had donated Rs 10 crore to a trust managed by his family members which also sold a piece of land to a mining company for Rs 20 crore far above the guidance value of Rs 1.4 crore.Ater submitting the report running into 25,228 pages including annexures, Hegde told a press conference that he has named Chief Minister Yeddyruppa, former Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy, Reddy brothers (who are ministers and mining magnates), their camp follower and another minister H Sriramulu, Congress MP Anil Lad's wife and over 600 officials in the mining racket that cost the exchequer Rs 16,085 crore between 2006 and 2010."Having come to the conclusion that there is as a matter of fact an offence made under the Prevention of Corruption Act I have made a recommendation to the Governor to take further action," Hegde said in respect of the donation made to the trust run by the Chief Minister's family members.At another point, he said, "I have made a recommendation for prosecuting everybody. I have stated this to the Governor. It is for him to act."To a question, he shot back, "Action under Prevention of Corruption Act should be taken. What else?"The report castigated the BJP government, which is in power since May 2008, for its failure to check irregularities and illegalities in mining in the state."The enquiry has found large scale involvement of officials, powerful people both in the Administration as well as in the ground level," said Hegde whose main report runs into 943 pages. Hegde said in the course of investigations they found that a company dealing in iron ore donated Rs 10 crore to the Trust run by family members of the Chief Minister.From the Trust, a mining company purchased an acre of land for Rs 20 crore far above the guidance value of Rs 1.40 crore, he said."This payment has been made to the Trust which has nothing to do with the donating company which has not been doing well but borrowed money from another company and donated this. I find this extremely difficult to understand this abnormal high price."We have come to an incontrovertible conclusion that this donation and sale consideration has been made for reasons other than genuine reasons." he added.Replying to questions, Hegde confirmed that the report makes a mention of the CM, his family members, Reddy brothers, Sriramulu and Kumaraswamy and over 600 officials.In the case of Kumaraswamy, the enquiry found "misconduct" on his part regarding grant of two mining leases and action has been recommended under PCA.
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