A special court in Bengaluru has on Thursday, October 24, convicted Congress MLA Satish Sail in a case of illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri Port during 2009-10. Satish Sail is the Congress MLA from Karwar. Along with Sail, a retired Deputy Conservator of Ports and seven private firms have also been convicted for the multi-crore scam.
As per reports, Sail has been convicted for his role as the MD of MS Mallikarjuna Shipping Pvt Ltd, for offenses under theft, cheating and criminal conspiracy under IPC and for multiple corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988.
Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhatt of the special sessions court put Congress MLA Sail and 6 others under judicial custody and sent them to Bengaluru Central Jail. The court will decide on the quantum of punishment on Friday, October 25.
In March 2010, a Lokayukta probe found that nearly 8 lakh tons of iron ore was taken from Bellari to Belekeri port without mining, transport or forest department permits. The stolen ore was believed to have been illegally sold in connivance with the retired Depty Conservator of Ports Mahesh Biliye and multiple private companies including the one owned by the Congress MLA.
The CBI has officially stated that the case pertains to the illegal mining of about 50 lakh tons of iron ore and subsequent transport and selling of that ore from the Belekeri Port to the tunes of Rs 2500 crores.
