BENGALURU: Hot on the heels of governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot granting approval for the prosecution of chief minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (Muda) land allotment scam, Karnataka Lokayukta‘s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has sought permission to file a chargesheet against Union minister for heavy industries and steel, HD Kumaraswamy, over alleged illegal approval for an iron ore mining lease during HDK’s tenure as CM in 2006-07.
The SIT submitted a proposal Monday, seeking the governor’s approval to press for charges against Kumaraswamy, based on reports by the Karnataka Lokayukta, led by Justice Santosh Hegde, from November 22, 2013, to June 6, 2017.
As Kumaraswamy was the CM at the time of the alleged scam and since he is currently a Union minister, only the governor has the authority to allow his prosecution.
“If permission is granted for his prosecution, it could spell legal trouble for Kumaraswamy, who is holding a prominent portfolio in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s NDA government,” Lokayukta officials said.
‘SSVM was favoured among 24 companies applied for lease’
The allegations state that Kumaraswamy, during his tenure as chief minister in 2007, had illegally granted a mining lease for 550 acres to Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals (SSVM) at Bhavihalli, in the Sandur taluk of Ballari district. The lease allegedly violated Rule 59(2) of the Minerals Concession Rules, leading to widespread illegal mining.
SIT claims Sri Sai Venkateswara Minerals was unduly favoured among 24 companies that had applied for the lease. On Tuesday, chief minister Siddaramaiah criticised the governor for being selective in granting prosecution sanctions, urging him to act as a representative of the President of India rather than the Central government.
Siddaramaiah also pointed out that the Karnataka Lokayukta had sought the governor’s approval to prosecute Kumaraswamy on November 23, 2023, in connection with the SSVM case, but no permission was granted.
“In contrast, when social activist TJ Abraham lodged a private complaint against me with him [the governor] on July 26 at 11 am, 10 hours later, I was served a show-cause notice. Isn’t this discrimination,” Siddaramaiah said, urging the governor not to “pick and choose”.
He further pointed out that the governor had not granted permission to prosecute former BJP ministers Shashikala Jolle, Murugesh Nirani, and G. Janardhana Reddy.
Earlier this week, Kumaraswamy had accused the Congress government in Karnataka of trying to threaten him by reopening old cases. He was also an accused in the Janthakal mining case, which was quashed by the Karnataka high court.
In the SSVM case, Kumaraswamy alleged that despite the Supreme Court’s directive on March 29, 2017, to complete the investigation within three months, SIT failed to do so. “If Siddaramaiah has guts, let him move the Supreme Court,” he challenged.
The SIT’s request, submitted on November 11, 2023, sought sanction for Kumaraswamy’s prosecution under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
The first letter, dated November 21, 2023, was penned by ADGP Chandrasekhar. The governor’s office responded, seeking additional information, which Special Investigation Team provided on August 8, 2024, following which, a second request for a chargesheet was sent on Monday.