Date:29/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/29/stories/2008092960531000.htm

Karnataka

Former Minister, mine owner held

Staff Correspondent

BELLARY: Former Minister and Congress leader M. Diwakar Babu and Tapal Ganesh of TNR Mines were arrested on Sunday for defying prohibitory orders and attempting to resume mining at Tumti village in Sandur taluk of Bellary district.

Armed with an interim order issued by the Dharwad circuit Bench of the Karnataka High Court, which permitted TNR Mines to continue mining in the area leased to it, Mr. Ganesh and Mr. Diwakar Babu went to Tumti to resume mining. But policemen led by H.Y. Turai, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kudligi Sub-Division, prevented them stating that they could not take up mining as the area had not been leased to them.

Mr. Ganesh and Mr. Diwakar Babu said that they were in the area, which had been leased to them. But Mr. Turai said that according to a statement given by a surveyor of the Department of Mines and Geology after a joint survey recently, the area belonged to another mining company and they would not be permitted to take up mining.