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Ex-Karnataka minister Janardhana Reddy used fake permits from AP to carry out illegal mining operations

October 10, 2013

Janardhana_ReddyBangalore, Oct 10: It's rather ironic that former Karnataka tourism minister G Janardhana Reddy is cooling his heels in Hyderabad's Chanchalguda prison, considering that it was close business links with Andhra Pradesh that brought him untold riches.

Reddy, who controlled a three-tier system spanning the entire operation of illegal iron ore mining from excavation to the wharfs of Belekeri port, used fake permits from Andhra Pradesh to carry out his operations.

"Reddy's associates, including Swastik Nagaraj and Kharapudi Mahesh, were delivering envelopes containing fake permits of the Andhra Pradesh department of mines and geology, forest permits, invoices, et al for the transportation of illegal ore to Belekeri port during January 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010," according to a chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before the special CBI court here.

The document reveals that racketeers created firms, including Shafia Minerals, Manjunatheswara Minerals, in the names of their employees and relatives and printed invoices in their names which they used to give to trucks carrying illegal material, along with fake permits.

"Such firms were opened at the behest of Janardhana Reddy and his personal assistant Mehfuz Ali Khan and huge amounts were routed through the accounts of the said firms...which finally reached Reddy," the CBI has charged.

Pointing out that Ali Khan, Reddy's main accomplice, was managing excavation, weighing and dispatch of illegally extracted ore from various mines, CBI sources said Khan would threaten mine owners and forcibly take away ore they'd mined.

"He was also threatening officials from the forest department, DMG and police among others when they raised objections against illegal extraction/transportation of ore carried out on behalf of Reddy," the chargesheet says.

Janardhana Reddy was not only illegally mining iron ore but extorted money from others involved in the trade. His aides Khan, Mahesh and Nagaraj were in charge of collecting money from trucks carrying ore mined illegally by others. "They collected about Rs 200 per MT (tonne) from each truck carrying illegally extracted ore for arranging safe passage of the trucks for transit to Belekeri," the chargesheet says.

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News Network
February 16,2020

New Delhi, Feb 16: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said everyone is unhappy in the society and constantly agitating notwithstanding a "many-fold rise" in materialistic comforts and pleasures.

Addressing a gathering of Sangh workers and intellectuals here in Gujarat, Mr Bhagwat also said that even political parties who are not in power are also agitating.

"Inspite of increase in comforts and materialistic pleasures, everyone is unhappy and is staging agitations. Be it owner or servant, a party in opposition, the common man students, teachers, everyone is unhappy and dissatisfied," the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief said.

He was speaking on the topic "India's Role in the Present World Context".

Mr Bhagwat further said that bigotry, violence and terrorism are on the rise in the present world.

"India has to give 'dharma'  (wisdom) to the world so that knowledge spreads but humans do not become robotic. We have always talked about the concept of global family but not global market," he said.

The lecture was organised by "Madhav Smruti Nyas", an organisation backed by the RSS.

"To think that we are living in a better world is a half truth. Facilities are not evenly distributed. Rule of Jungle is prevailing. A capable person is crushing the weak to climb up. Knowledge is used more for the destruction of the world," the Sangh chief said.

Mr Bhagwat said people are also misusing social media by spreading "false information" to create controversies.

He also stated that trying to put "everyone into one uniform" is also a form of bigotry.

"US and Russia are super powers. China would become a super power too. Now, what super power nations did to others? They just took control of other countries for their own selfish agenda. These super powers gave it back only when they were asked to do so. Otherwise, they never gave anything to others," said Mr Bhagwat.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 31: In Kerala, the prisoners will now work as employees in petrol pumps and take home a salary, as the Kerala government has rolled out Petrol Pumps from jail premises in association with Indian Oil Corporation.

Speaking to news agency, Rishiraj Singh, Jail DGP said that initiative to employ jail inmates in petrol pumps was taken as in Kerala there are many projects of which prisoners are a part of and are being employed.

"In petrol pumps, 15 jail inmates will be employed at each pump. The outlets of Thiruvananthapuram, Viyyur and Cheemeni jails have been started to function from today. 

Many express doubt whether the prisoners will try to escape. But my experience working with them prove otherwise. They are managing five cafeterias in the state and selling food prepared by them. We pay them Rs 220 per day for their work and the jail inmates are running it successfully particularly at COVID-19 times," he said.

The Indian Oil Corporation is investing around Rs 9.5 crore to set up four petrol pumps at the jail premises. The share of the jail department is Rs 30 lakh for setting up petroleum outlet. Other than the three presently, it will also be started in Kannur jail.

"The land has been leased to the Indian Oil Corporation for 30 years. The prisoners are employed here and for that, they underwent a training in petrol pump of IOC and the uniform will also be supplied by them, " said Rishiraj Singh About 25 cents in Thiruvananthapuram, 39 cents in Kannur, 25 cents in Viyur and 25 cents in Cheemeni open jail have been allotted.

Through this, the government will get Rs 5.9 lakh per month in rent. 

It also plans to expand the project in the future by setting up a CNG and electrical charging station. 

The petrol pumps will be also accompanied by public comfort stations.

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News Network
May 27,2020

New Delhi, May 27: With 6,387 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, India's count of COVID-19 rose to 1,51,767 on Wednesday, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

170 people have also died in the last 24 hours due to the infection.

Currently, there are 83,004 active cases while 64,425 COVID-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged and one has migrated. So far, a total of 4,337 deaths have taken place across the country.

Among all states, Maharashtra has the highest number of COVID-19 cases with 54,758. Tamil Nadu has 17,728 cases with Gujarat at 14,821 cases. The national capital has 14,465 reported cases of coronavirus.

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