The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mining case: commission to seek CBI assistance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 22, 2006
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mining case: commission to seek CBI assistance

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Justice U.L. Bhat Commission, which is inquiring into the illegal mining activities in the State, on Tuesday decided to take the services of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the allegations made by the suspended BJP MLC G. Janardhan Reddy against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his colleagues.

According to a press release from commission secretary K.N. Nagendra Kumar, the commission will ask the Union Government to make available to the commission the services of CBI officers to carryout the investigation.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, the commission said that the investigation by the State police officers into the allegations made against the Chief Minister and his colleagues could lead to embarrassment to all concerned and was also unlikely to create confidence in the public despite the high integrity of the State police officers, Mr. Kumar said.

The commission has thus decided to have the investigation done by the officers of the Union Government functioning under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, he said.

Guidance

However, the investigation will be subject to the direction and control of the commission, he said.

The officers will submit their report to the commission and seek its guidance and directions regularly, he added.

The commission has decided to take the help of the CBI as Mr. Reddy has failed to file a statement and affidavit as also list of documents and particulars of persons from whom documents could be obtained, despite individual notice served on him, Mr. Kumar said.

The commission has invoked the provisions of the Section 5A (1) (b) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, which empowers it to take the services of any officer or investigation agency of the State or Union Government "with the concurrence of the State or the Union Government as the case may be."

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka