Samaj Parivartana Samudaya has written to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) urging it to appeal against the Special CBI Court’s verdict acquitting the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in a case of allegedly showing favour to mining companies and receiving illegal gratification from them.
Releasing copies of a letter written on December 15, 2017, at a press conference here, samudaya founder-president S.R. Hiremath said that considering the serious nature of the case, the CBI was expected to appeal against the Special CBI Court’s verdict in the High Court.
However, despite the lapse of over a year now, the CBI has not moved court. The samudaya would move the High Court, if the CBI fails to do so, he said.
The CBI had filed over 20 FIRs in matters relating to illegal mining in Ballari (Karnataka) and Anantpur (Andhra Pradesh) districts straddling the inter-State boundary. One of these was the case relating to the allegations of favour granted by Mr. Yeddyurappa to JSW Limited in waiving the company’s liability towards Mysore Minerals Limited, a State government enterprise.
This liability of several hundred crores of rupees was allegedly waived in return for alleged pecuniary benefits received by the kin and kith of Mr. Yeddyurappa, following denotification and subsequent sale of certain land illegally held by the kin and kith of Mr. Yeddyurappa to South West Mining Limited, a sister concern of JSW Limited. This amount also included certain donations made by South West Mining Limited to educational and religious trusts held by Mr. Yeddyurappa’s kin and kith.
The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has brought this matter to the notice of the Supreme Court, which had, in turn, ordered the CBI to investigate the case. Accordingly, the CBI carried out a thorough investigation and many facts until then unknown were unearthed.
