AUDITORS OFFICE SEARCHED

Iron ore scam: CBI arrests Gali’s aides

By Express News Service - BANGALORE

02nd March 2013 08:43 AM

A close associate of mining baron and former Karnataka tourism minister Gali Janardhana Reddy has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the illegal export of iron ore from Belekeri port in Karwar.

K V Nagaraj alias Swastik Nagaraj, arrested on Thursday in Bellary, was produced on Friday before the CBI court, which remanded him in police custody till March 8.

He has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, besides the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1963, and Section 24 of the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963.

Under a Supreme Court directive, the CBI is investigating the illegal export of iron ore.

Auditors’ office searched

Bellary: CBI officials on Friday continued their search at some of the offices of auditors at Hospet in Bellary district in connection with the agency’s ongoing probe into the illegal export of iron ore.

A team of eight CBI officials, led by SP Subramaneshwar Rao, conducted a search at the Satyam and Datta chartered accountants office owned by T S Datta and Vijaya Sindagi.

However, the CBI did not make any arrests, an official said.