BENGALURU: A special court on Thursday convicted seven accused, including Karwar Congress MLA Satish Krishna Sail and managing directors of some mining firms, in illegal iron ore extraction and transportation cases.This the first verdict in cases related to illegal iron ore mining in the state.
Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat pronounced the judgment convicting the accused in six cases guilty of offences punishable under the provisions of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. He passed the order remanding the convicted, including Sail, to custody till the hearing on the quantum of sentence on Friday. The judge also cancelled their bail and surety bonds executed by them.
The convicted are Mahesh Biliye, the then port conservator; Satish Krishna Sail, MD of Sree Mallikarjun Shipping Private Ltd; Chethan Shah, managing director of M/s Ashapur Menechem; KV Nagaraj, director of Ms Swastik Steels (Hospet) Private Ltd; its former director KV Govindaraj; Mahesh Kumar K alias Kharadapudi Mahesh, partner of Shri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Minerals; and Prem Chand Garg, MD of Shri Lal Mahal Ltd.
‘People in key positions should behave in exemplary manner’
In addition, the court also convicted M/s ILC Industries Ltd and M/s PJS Overseas Ltd. The court, however, said that these firms have been found guilty, but their representatives cannot be made personally liable, and directed them to appear before it on Friday.
At this juncture, Sail’s counsel filed an application under Sections 3 and 4 of the Probation of Offenders (PO) Act, to release him on good conduct. However, the court said it is pertinent to note that a serious allegation was levelled against him under Section 420 (cheating).
The apex court has stated that economic offences should be considered as class apart and there should be no leniency while sentencing the accused.
The court said Sail, a people’s representative, has been found guilty of committing an offence under Section 420 of IPC, and causing a loss of several crores of rupees to the state exchequer.
Though the offence was not committed by him as an MLA, it is pertinent to remind that people holding key positions should always behave in a manner exemplary to society and certainly not commit fraud, the court said.