The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing illegal mining cases has not registered a single FIR so far.
Reason: The government has appointed just 10 of 157 sanctioned policemen.
Lokayukta Justice Y Bhaskar Rao has recently written to the government seeking appointment of police officers, including DySPs, inspectors, sub-inspectors and constables.
In 2013, the state Cabinet decided to form an SIT headed by an IGP-rank officer to investigate cases handed over to the Lokayukta police. On January 24 this year, a government order was issued, constituting the SIT. KSR Charan Reddy was appointed its head on the recommendation of the
Lokayukta.
On March 5, Reddy took charge of the designated building at the University of Agricultural Sciences on Bellary Road. As of now, nine other employees are working for the team: a Superintendent of Police (Manjunath Annigeri), three deputy superintendents of police and five inspectors.
“The total sanctioned strength of the SIT is 193. Of this 157 constitute policemen and the other 35 make up the administrative staff. The request for notifying the SIT office as a police station is also pending before the government,” an official said.
Apart from an IGP and a superintendent of police, the SIT needs six deputy superintendents and 15 inspectors, besides other personnel.
Rao wrote last week asking the state government to do the hiring soon. The Lokayukta police have also identified space for an SIT office in Bellary.
“It is necessary for the SIT to have an office in Bellary, where the illegal mining took place. The proposal has reached the government,” an official added.
The Cabinet had taken the decision to hand over all illegal mining cases to the Lokayukta police, except those being investigated by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
Rao first wrote to the state government on December 30 last year seeking staff and office space for the SIT.