MLA Satish Sail
Credit: Facebook/Satish Sail
Bengaluru: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Congress MLA Satish Sail and two others on Thursday after a Bengaluru court found him guilty in a case related to the theft and illegal export of iron ore from the Belekeri port in the Uttara Kannada district 14 years ago.
Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, the judge of the court for elected representatives, convicted the Karwar MLA and five other accused in the case involving illegal export of iron ore worth Rs 200 crore.
Shivananda Perla, one of the two Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) who represented the CBI in the case, told DH that Sail was arrested from the court premises and would be produced before the magistrate again on Friday when the court is likely to pronounce the quantum of punishment.
Around 8.30 pm, the Congress MLA was taken to the government-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital for a routine medical checkup, a senior doctor said.
Once the arrest procedures are completed, he would be taken to the Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara.
In 2010, forest officials had seized a certain quantity of iron ore at the Belekeri port after illegal mining cases were reported in the Ballari district.
A case was subsequently registered at the Ankola police station in this regard. Subsequently, the CID launched an investigation and conducted mahazar (recreation of the crime scene) of the seized iron ore at the port.
In June 2010, investigations found that a large portion of seized iron ore was stolen and exported from the Belekeri port. The Supreme Court transferred the case to the CBI.
The CBI case was that Sri Mallikarjuna Shipping Pvt (SMSPL), owned by Satish Sail, had purchased the iron ore from different agencies out of the seized material.
SMSPL and other companies involved in this transaction had approached the High Court of Karnataka, seeking permission to lift this iron ore.
The high court passed an order, directing the petitioner companies to export only after submitting valid documents. The CBI charge sheet stated that SMSPL had stolen the seized iron ore stock in connivance with the port conservator, Mahesh Biliya, and exported it to China without valid documents.