While the forest dept claimed in June that seized ore was stolen, a shipping document says the ore was loaded in March and reached China in April

More dirt surfaces in illegal ore case

While the forest dept claimed in June that seized ore was stolen, a shipping document says the ore was loaded in March and reached China in April

The murky illegal iron ore trail has thrown up yet another startling revelation. The ore, which was seized by the forest department earlier this year, was later claimed to have been stolen.

Neighbour has it! ILC Industries, a Hospet-based mining firm, shipped
a consignment of 80,160 tonne of iron ore from Bekelere port to China.
Representation pic

It is now learnt that over 80,000 tonne of the 'stolen ore' was shipped to China, that too allegedly by a mining company which has BJP MLA Anand Singh as one of its directors.

A laytime statement, recorded by staff of Crossbridge Project (Mauritius) Ltd, says that ILC Industries, a Hospet-based mining firm, shipped a consignment of 80,160 tonne of iron ore from Bekelere port to China.

Not stolen
MiD DAY has a copy of the document (prepared by the master of a vessel in port which details the daily particulars regarding cargo).

ILC Industries is promoted by Somashekar, MD of the company, while Singh, who represents Hospet, an assembly constituency in Bellary, is one of the directors. He is a supporter of the Reddys, the Bellary mining lords.

At present, the case is being investigated by the Lokayukta as well as the crime investigation department (CID).

Going through the document, the Lokayukta, Justice N Santhosh Hegde said, "The document is vital. It proves that the mining company had lifted the ore even as the forest department claimed it had been stolen."

On March 20, the forest department had seized 5 lakh tonne of ore from 52 mining companies, including ILC Industries, claiming that the firms had violated environmental norms. On March 28, the firms, including ILC, moved the HC to intervene in the matter.

The court on March 31 directed the Customs department to clear the consignments, but the forest department declined to release the ore.

ILC Industries then filed a second writ petition on April 28, seeking court directive to the forest department to clear its consignment of 80,160 tonne ore. On May 4, the HC directed the forest department to clear the consignment after verifying the documents.

The forest department, however, refused to release the consignment yet again. The petition was later withdrawn as it became infructuous, following the probe ordered by the government.

However, on June 3, the forest department lodged a complaint stating the ore had been stolen. This led to a huge political uproar in the state with Hegde resigning as Lokayukta. He had claimed that the government was protecting the errant miners. However, he was later asked to resume as Lokayukta.

Ore goes offshore
Meanwhile, the Congress organised a protest march from Bangalore to Bellary, demanding a CBI probe into illegal mining. The mining firms, however, contended that they had nothing to do with the disappearance of the ore.

Interestingly, the ore reached China just a day before ILC Industries filed the second petition. The laytime document states that ILC Industries lifted the ore after March 23 and it reached Jingtang port April 27 on MV Prema Vidya, a vessel owned by Crossbridge Projects (Mauritius) Ltd.

However, the loading of ore was delayed and the shipping company claimed a demurrage of Rs 1.4 crore. Arbitration on the issue is going on in London.

Hegde said the Lokayukta would submit the investigation report by March 31, 2011. "We have made significant progress in the probe and will meet the self-imposed deadline." Somashekar refused to speak on the matter, while Singh was not available for comment.