Deccan Chronicle:Saturday, 24 September 2011.
Mines and Geology Department officials have allegedly tampered the common note files pertaining to the grant of iron ore mining leases in Anantapur district. Mr C. Shashi Kumar, who was denied license by the department, deposed before Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday and submitted two variant common note files that were allegedly tampered by the mining officials.
The common note file pertaining to the applicants of the mining area in H. Siddapuram of D. Hirelal mandal in Anantapur district is different from that of the same note file furnished by the department in 2009. This file was obtained by Mr Shashi Kumar in 2008 under RTI Act. Mr Shashi Kumar, a co-applicant for lease had filed an RTI application on July 17, 2008, for which the department had given a reply on August 29, 2008, and furnished a copy of note files. A second application filed on March 15, 2009 resulted in a reply on March 21, 2009. The second RTI reply has note files with remarks of all top officials of 2006 and 2007 that are not reflected in the first reply.
Mr Sashi Kumar had applied for licences for prospecting 2,000 acres for iron ore in H Siddapuram and Malapanagudi. He alleged, “The officials made all kinds of efforts to hush up their wrong doings. They favoured some companies like the one owned by Gali Janardhan Reddy and did injustice to applicants like me. I am a victim of official and mining mafia nexus.” He asked for a pro-be into the tampering of records. Meanwhile, the special court adjourned hearing of CBI's plea for custody of Gali Janardhan Reddy and B.V. Srinivas Reddy to September 29.
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