Bellary: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided 19 locations in 10 cities including five in the State with reference to the illegal export of 21 lakh tonnes of iron ore from Belekeri port in Uttara Kannada district on Thursday, February 6.
Investigating the illegalities, the agency raided the offices and premises in Bangalore, Bellary, Hospet, Sandur and Belgaum of mining companies, transporters and trading firms whereas raids were conducted outside the State as well in regions such as Goa, Salem (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata and Mumbai (Goregaon).
The CBI sleuths raided the Inna Reddy Colony office of Bharat Mines and Minerals (BMM) and the office of VSL mining company in Bellary. In Hospet, the house of businessman ILC Somashekhar, who is already in CBI custody, was raided. Some documents were seized. In Belgaum, the branch office of BMM Ispat at Udyambag industrial estate was raided.
Vehicles belonging to the Central Board of Excise and Customs were also seen during the raid.
The CBI has registered 22 cases on the directions of the Supreme Court in connection with illegal export from the Belekeri port. It had named 15 companies, six partnership firms and two proprietory concerns, besides 50 individuals, in the First Information Report (FIR). The FIR also named officials of Mines and Geology and Forest departments.
The suspects have been booked for cheating and forgery among others under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and Section 24 of Karnataka Forest Act, 1963, have also been invoked against them.
