New Delhi: The apex court on Tuesday issued notices to Centre, Odisha, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea alleging corruption worth Rs 6 lakh Crore in allocation of iron ore mines in the States.
A bench of SA Bobde and Justice S Abdul Naseer also appointed senior advocate PS Narasimha as amicus curiae in the case.
The PIL seeks quashing of allotment, extension or continuation of leases to firms for mining iron ore of more than 358 mines across the country. The extension of lease and allotment of the mineral mines in several cases have been done for free of cost, states the plea.
A court-monitored probe has also been sought into the corruption which has caused huge financial loss to the public. It also seeks recovery of the market value of the mined minerals and fresh auction of the quashed mines.
In his reactions, BJD spokesperson Amar Patnaik said, “Shah Commission has been formed that is looking into the mining scam. Mineral Development Fund has also been established. Whatever the Supreme Court says, the State Government will abide by it.”