Hand over illegal mining probe to CBI: Hegde

Former Karnataka Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde on Monday favoured handing over the probe into illegal mining in the state to the Central Bureau of Investigation, maintaining that the Obalapuram Mining Company owned by former minister G Janardhana Reddy indulged in such activity.

The former Supreme Court Judge said the CBI move to arrest Janardhan Reddy is not a result of the illegal mining report that he submitted to the government as Lokayukta on July 27.

In this context, he noted that Karnataka government has not given permission to CBI to conduct a probe into the matter, adding, Reddy's arrest is a result of sanction given by Andhra Pradesh in connection with some irregularities.

"The OMC may deny many times that they have indulged in illegal mining. But we (in the Lokayukta report) have said they did engage in that through documents we produced," Hegde said.

He said the probe into the entire illegal mining issue in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh should be handed over to CBI. "I am of that opinion. Even investigation in Karnataka should be given to CBI," added Hegde.