Court frees 2 K'taka ministers in iron ore export case

Ballari: A Special Court for People's Representatives, Bengaluru, has acquitted Ballari Rural Congress MLA, B. Nagendra and disqualified MLA,  B.S. Anand Singh in a case of illicit iron ore trading and export from the Belekeri port in Karwar.

The special court on Friday acquitted Mr Singh and Mr Nagendra of charges  of exporting 1.30 lakh metric tonnes of illicit iron ore due to lack of evidence.

The Economic Offences Wing of the CBI, Chennai, investigated the illegal iron ore trade from the Belekeri port during 2006 to 2010 and filed a chargesheet in the CBI Special Court in Bengaluru. But these cases were transferred to the Special Court for People's Representatives last year. Both Mr Nagendra and Mr Singh are still facing a couple of other cases of illegal ore export from the Belekeri port in the CBI special court.

The acquittal is a huge relief for both men, who were in prison for around 18 months in 2012-13 along with mining baron- turned-politician, Gali Janardhan Reddy and nearly 20 other accused in connection with cases of export of illegal iron ore being investigated by the CBI.

The Supreme Court had in 2011 directed the CBI, Bengaluru wing to probe the illegal export of  five lakh metric tonnes of iron ore from the Belekeri port by  four firms.  

The court later directed the CBI, Chennai wing, to investigate firms which had allegedly illegally exported between five lakh metric tonnes and over 50,000 metric tones of the ore from the port.  The state government was also ordered to form a Special Investigation Team to probe cases involving  illegal  export of less than 50,000 metric tonnes of the ore.