Former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, already reeling from several cases of corruption against him in state courts, looks in for more trouble. The Dharwad-based Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), a non-government organisation fighting illegal mining in Karnataka, has revealed documentary evidence against Yeddyurappa to prove that he received kickbacks from mining companies for grant of mining lease.
According to the 113-page document submitted to the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the real estate companies owned by Yeddyurappa’s family members received Rs 6-crore kickbacks for 330-acre mining lease to R Praveen Chandra in Chitradurga district in October 2010.
S R Hiremath, the founder president of SPS and the main petitioner in the writ petition filed before the Supreme Court on illegal mining in Karnataka, told reporters here on Tuesday that he had submitted the evidence, as directed by CEC during its hearing on February 18.
“We have established that the connection between the favours done by Yeddyurappa as the chief minister and the mining minister and the money deposits (total of Rs 6 crore) by R Praveen Chandra in two companies is obvious. It is essential to further investigate the matter to establish corruption under the relevant Acts by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” Hiremath said.
He said Yeddyurappa recommended mining lease for Praveen Chandra in his letter dated September 30, 2009, to the Mines Secretary, Government of India, and subsequently notified the grant of lease to the company on October 12, 2010, to the extent of 330 acres in two villages of the Chitradurga district for iron ore and manganese ore mining.
In return, Bhagat Homes Pvt Ltd (BHPL) and Dhavalagiri Property Developers Pvt Ltd (DPDPL), owned by the family members of Yeddyurappa, received payments of Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 3.5 crore, respectively. The payments are shown in the balance sheets of the two companies, Hiremath said.
He said the evidences against Yeddyurappa were unearthed after the former lokayukta, Santosh Hegde, submitted his final report on illegal mining in the state.
He has also submitted proof for favours received by Prerana Educational and Social Trust, owned by Yeddyurappa’s sons from various sources, including some of the group companies of JSW Steel Ltd. The documents furnished by Hiremath reveal that the Prerana Educational and Social Trust had received donations amounting to Rs 27.18 crore from various people or companies, including Adarsh Developers, Industrial Techno Man Power Supply & Services Pvt Ltd, Real Technical Solutions Pvt Ltd, and South West Mining Ltd.
The study team of the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) had collected these documents, Hiremath said.
The CEC is likely to submit its report to the apex court on February 24, based on its hearing with SPS and documents furnished by SPS. The court is set to continue its hearing in the writ petition that day.
