BANGALORE: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday clarified that favouritism and bribery and corruption charges have been included in the terms of reference of the commission of inquiry, which will go into mining activity in the State.

Mr. Kumaraswamy told presspersons here that the commission, headed by U.L. Bhat, former Chief Justice of the high courts of Madhya Pradesh and Gauhati, would inquire into all fraudulent activities related to mining from January 1, 2000 and the BJP MLC G. Janardhan Reddy's allegation that he and two of his Cabinet colleagues received a bribe of Rs. 150 crore from some mine owners in Bellary district. The Cabinet took a decision on those issues and there was no question of dropping the bribery charge from the judicial inquiry, he said.

Asked why the Government had not filed a criminal case against Mr. Reddy under Section 199 (2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (prosecution for defamation of public servants of the Union or States), he said the Home Department would file the complaint at the appropriate time.

Mr. Reddy on Monday filed a private defamation complaint against Mr. Kumaraswamy, Home Minister M.P. Prakash and Minister for Forests C. Chennigappa for their alleged remarks against him.

Asked about Maharashtra's request to the Centre seeking the transfer of Belgaum and other Marathi-dominated areas in the State to it, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Mahajan Commission report was final and Maharashtra's claim that the Mahajan report was dead had no relevance. The Government was committed to protecting all border areas and the people living there, he said.

On the State's office of profit Bill, which was returned by Governor T.N. Chaturvedi for reconsideration, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the Government would discuss the issue with legal experts. However, he ruled out holding a special session of the legislature for reconsideration of the Bill.

Takes cognisance

Bellary Staff Correspondent reports:

U. Chandrashekar, Judicial Magistrate First Class (Junior Division), while taking cognisance of the private defamation complaint filed by Mr. Reddy against Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Prakash and Mr. Chennigappa, scheduled the case for July 28 for recording the sworn statement.

Mr. Reddy, on Monday, had filed a complaint of defamation against the three for reportedly remarking that he had lost his mental balance.

The judge had scheduled the case for Tuesday. As Mr. Reddy was slightly indisposed, he could not attend the court, his lawyer, K. Venkateshulu, said.

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