K’taka court convicts Cong MLA in Belekeri iron ore export case

The bench headed by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat passed the order and the quantum of the punishment will be pronounced on Friday.

Bengaluru: A Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru convicted Congress Karwar MLA Satish K Sail on Thursday in the Belekeri iron order export case.

The bench headed by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat passed the order and the quantum of the punishment will be pronounced on Friday.

---

The counsel for the convicted MLA pleaded that his client not be taken into police custody. However, the judge maintained that once the order passed it was not possible to prevent it. MLA Satish Sail will be arrested any moment following the order by the court and he will be shifted to the Bengaluru Central Prison.

The case in this regard was lodged in 2010 and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had submitted a chargesheet in the case. The court has convicted MLA in connection with all six FIRs. The development is seen as a setback to the Congress government.

MLA Satish Sail is named as the second accused in the first case. The first accused is Belekeri Port Conservator Mahesh Biliya. Mahesh is the first accused in all six cases. Including Mahesh, eight accused were also convicted.

The CBI had filed an FIR against the company owned by a convicted MLA on Sept 13, 2013. The investigation was taken up as per the directions by the Supreme Court on illegal mining and illegal transportation of iron ore from the state between 2009 to 2010.

The CBI had stated that in a period of eight months, the Mallikarjuna Shipping Private Limited Company owned by convicted MLA had exported 7.23 lakh tonnes of iron ore through the Belekeri Port to a foreign location.

The Central Empowered Committee Report (CEC) found that 88.6 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore were exported by 73 companies. However, the permit was obtained only for 38.22 lakh metric tonnes.

It was found that the company owned by convicted MLA Satish Sail had exported 7.23 lakh tonnes of iron ore. His house was raided in 2012 and he was arrested in 2013. He came out of prison after spending more than a year in jail.