Lokayukta SIT arrests former Karnataka minister Anand Singh for illegal mining

Anand Singh allegedly supplied 17,086 metric tonnes of iron ore to Muneer Enterprises without legal permits.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Lokayukta arrested Anand Singh, a mining businessman and former BJP tourism minister in connection with illegal mining case in Bellary on Thursday. The legislator from Vijayanagar is accused of illegaly supplying 17,086 metric tonnes of iron ore through his company S B Minerals to a firm called Muneer Enterprises.

Lokayuktaa officials said Singh was arrested by a team lead Inspector General of Police (Lokayukta SIT) Charan Reddy after he was summoned for questioning by the SIT. Singh allegedly supplied 17,086 metric tonnes of iron ore to Muneer Enterprises without legal permits.

The SIT had registered a case against Singh on October 20, 2014. Anand Singh is the sixth person to be arrested in the illegal mining case by the Lokayukta SIT in recent days. The legislator from Kampli in Bellary, the mining businessman B Nagendra and his associate Nagaraj were arrested by the SIT along with three others a week ago.

Anand Singh had earlier been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the CBI in October 2013 for his alleged role in the large illegal mining and exports. He was recently released on bail.

The Karnataka Lokayukta’s SIT is looking at illegalities in iron ore mining involving quantities in the range of the 50,000 metric tonnes and below.

Source:: Indian Express