'Bribery allegations against CM to be dealt with separately'

Bangalore, Oct 11 (UNI) The U L Bhat Commission of Inquiry, constituted to go into the mining scam, today said the modality of investigation into the allegations levelled by suspended BJP MLC Janardhan Reddy against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and others will be dealt with in separate proceedings.

In a release here, Commission Secretary G V Hegde said the allegations referred to during debates in the State Legislature, pertaining to the Chief Minister taking a bribe of Rs 150 crore from miners to allow illegal mining in Bellary district, would be dealt with in separate proceedings.

Having considered the allegation mentioned in the notification and the subsequent developments, the Commission in proceedings, dated October seven, arrived at the conclusion that even when all the relevant files, records and information sought for were made available, the Commission would not be able to record findings in this regard unless such allegations were investigated in detail.

The Commission sought the State Government to make available the services of a police team to investigate into the files, records and circumstances in detail even at the field level, under the supervision of a police officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police.

The statement said the identities and acts of individuals and entities involved were not specified in the Government notification, dated July 22, constituting the Commission to probe the scam from January 2000 till date. By proceedings I and II, both dated September nine, the Commission asked the State Commerce and Industries department and Mysore Minerals Ltd to provide specific information and all relevent records. However, no reply had been received as yet, except for making available some of the relevant files and copies, it added.

UNI SIV GD RS2148