The Karnataka government has appointed retired IAS officer G V Krishna Rao, former Additional Chief Secretary, as the Recovery Commissioner tasked with confiscating and forfeiting properties amassed through illegal mining activities, according to a government order issued this week.
A notification from the Commerce and Industries Department (Mines) stated that the Act enables the seizure, attachment, and forfeiture of assets gained through illegal mining, organised crime, and criminal proceeds.
In August, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced plans to appoint a Recovery Commissioner and establish fast-track courts to handle illegal mining cases efficiently. “Our government will take every step necessary to pursue legal action, to conclude cases quickly, and to recover the enormous losses to the state,” he told the Assembly. “We will not, under any circumstance, tolerate the looting of public wealth.”
Citing official data, Siddaramaiah said an estimated 1.9 billion metric tons of iron ore were illegally extracted and exported between 2006 and 2011 from ‘B' and ‘C' category mines, resulting in losses of ₹78,245 crore. The breakdown showed Bellary accounting for 1,267 million metric tons, Chitradurga for 497 million, and Tumakuru for 136 million.
“During those years, illegal mining was carried out on a massive scale,” the Chief Minister said. “Politicians in power, businessmen, officials, and others colluded to loot the state's natural wealth. This is not hidden from the people of Karnataka or the country.”
Siddaramaiah also announced that the government would review 29 cases closed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), calling the reasons “unconvincing.” Eight more cases, where courts have refused to accept closure reports, will be withdrawn for further examination. “We cannot allow such cases to be brushed aside,” he said
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