Illegal mining: SIT head lodges plaint against HDK
October 12, 2024 00:32Union minister HD Kumaraswamy/File image
Additional director general of police M Chandra Sekhar, who heads the SIT which is investigating illegal mining cases, on Friday lodged a police complaint against Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy for allegedly threatening him to scuttle the probe against the former CM.
The probe against Kumaraswamy pertains to allegations that he illegally approved a 550-acre mining lease to Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals (SSVM) in Bellary district in violation of law during his tenure as Karnataka chief minister from 2006 to 2008.
He is now the Union minister for steel and heavy industries.
"The SIT, after preparing the investigation report and having found substantial evidence and material to prosecute the accused (Kumaraswamy), had written to H E Governor of Karnataka seeking sanction for prosecution against the accused Sh H D Kumaraswamy on 21/11/2023," Sekhar said in his complaint lodged at Sanjay Nagar police station.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, vide his letter dated July 29, 2024, sought certain clarifications after going through the report, he said.
This communication along with other documents reached the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after 11 days on the evening of August 8.
The clarification sought was sent on August 19 and the governor returned the file on August 29 with a request to translate it from Kannada to English, the ADGP said. -- PTI