K'taka Governor sends report to President on mining episode

Bangalore, July 26 (UNI) Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi today sent a report to President A P J Abdul Kalam on the mining bribery episode that had rocked the JD(S)-BJP government in the State.

Official sources tonight said the report was based on the memorandum submitted by the Congress to him on July 20 demanding the dismissal of the coalition Government following the bribery allegation levelled by BJP legislator G Janardhana Reddy against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Forests Minister C Chennigappa.

Mr Reddy had alleged that Mr Kumaraswamy and Mr Chennigappa had received a bribe of Rs 150 crore from the mining lobby in Bellary district and accused Home Minister M P Prakash of shielding his son in the illegal mining issue.

Subsequently, the Governor had also obtained a report from Mr Kumaraswamy seeking factual position on the issue.

The government had also ordered a judicial inquiry into the entire episode including mining activities in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts since 2000, corruption charges and irregularities in mining activities.

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