Bengaluru/Raichur, 21 JUNE

The State Law Minister HK Patil has expressed serious concerns regarding the government's inadequate response to illegal mining cases in the state. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, dated 18 June, Patil highlighted that only 7.6 per cent of illegal mining cases from 2007 to 2011, which allegedly caused a loss of around Rs 1.5 lakh crore to the government, have been investigated.

Patil noted public outrage over the lack of action and urged for accountability, asserting that the culprits must be punished and the lost wealth recovered. He reminded Siddaramaiah of his own 320-km foot march against the illegal mining scandal in 2010, when the Congress was in opposition.

Speaking to reporters in Raichur, Patil reiterated that his letter was not politically motivated but aimed at serving the state's interests. He acknowledged there are concerns about potential destruction of related documents and warned the administration to prevent this.

Despite the efforts of a Cabinet sub-committee during the previous Siddaramaiah-led government and numerous cases registered, Patil lamented that only 0.2 per cent of all cases have reached a conclusion. He advocated for establishing a Recovery Commissioner and creating a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe uninvestigated cases, alongside the establishment of a special court for their adjudication. “The government still has time to act,” he asserted.