PIL in SC seeks CBI probe in Yeddyurappa mining scam

A PIL seeking a CBI probe against ousted Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and others for allegedly causing Rs 1.50 lakh crore loss due to illegal mining as held by the state lokayukta was on Thursday filed in the Supreme Court.

A PIL seeking a CBI probe against ousted Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and others for allegedly causing Rs 1.50 lakh crore loss due to illegal mining as held by the state lokayukta was on Thursday filed in the Supreme Court.

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The petition filed by an advocate Manohar Lal Sharma urged the apex court to ensure that the huge loss reportedly caused on account of illegal mining activities should be recovered from the former chief minister and others allegedly responsible for it.

It urged the apex court to direct the CBI to prosecute the persons under IPC Sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (breach of trust) as they have allegedly breached the trust reposed on them by the public.

According to the petition, the probe ordered by Karnataka governor H R Bharadwaj through the lokayukta investigation wing would not throw light on the alleged irregularities and only a CBI probe would bring the people responsible to book.

The petition wanted CBI to probe the loss caused to the exchequer between the period of 2006-2010 and cited the recent Supreme Court observation in the judgement in the Ambani brothers' gas dispute that natural resources were national wealth.