FIR registered against former minister Munirathna for using explosives for quarrying

Former Karnataka Minister and BJP MLA Munirathna has been booked under Explosives Act and Land Revenue Act for carrying out blasts to mine stones in a quarry.

Published on: Jul 13, 2023, 14:57:08 IST

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Former Karnataka Minister and BJP MLA Munirathna has been booked under the Explosives Act and Karnataka Land Revenue Act along with three others for carrying out blasts to mine stones in a quarry at Hunasamaranahalli.

Former Karnataka Horticulture Minister Munirathna. (Image source: Facebook)

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Based on a complaint by the Yelahanka Tehsildar Anil Arolikar, the Chikkajala police registered a case against Munirathna, Anandan, Ganesh V and RAdhamma.

The FIR said the Jai Bhim Sene had requested the Tehsildar to stop the 'illegal' mining activities. The villagers too had staged a demonstration against the usage of explosives for quarrying.

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Following the complaint, a field survey was carried out, where it was found that explosives were used for quarrying. These activities were damaging earth in that region, according to the FIR.

The sale of stones was also resulting in loss to the state government. The investigation also revealed that those mining the quarry did not have any permission from the competent authority, the FIR said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More