The Supreme Court on Friday asked its panel, the Central Empowered Committee, to make “appropriate recommendations” on an application by the petitioners, including the NGO, Samaj Parivartan Samudaya.
The petitioners had sought extension of the scope of CBI probe to cover the “serious illegalities allegedly committed by top politicians and major corporate groups including Jindals and Adanis in Karnataka”.
The matter will be heard again after two weeks.
The petitioners alleged that “the large scale illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and serious breakdown of governance in Karnataka on account of the nexus between politician-miners and officials, not only raises serious concerns about ecology and environment, but also on issues concerning accountability in the functioning of the Government”.
They alleged that JSW (Jindal Steel) has been a “major recipient of illegally mined ore including from the ore supplied by AMC” currently being investigated by the CBI. The petitioners also alleged that Adani Enterprises had a role in the “theft of 5.5 lakh tonnes of iron ore from Belikere Port in Karnataka”.
Besides, the petitioners alleged “linkages between the then Chief Minister Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa and South West Mining Company (SWMC) through the intermediary, Jindal Steel (JSW)”.
Meanwhile, the court asked the mining companies to co-operate with its panel and work out parameters for an expeditious rehabilitation of the Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka. There were allegations of illegal mining in these three districts.