In a significant development, the Criminal Investigation Department which is investigating the case of the missing iron ore from Belekeri and Karwar ports has found that only 0.465 million tonnes of iron ore was missing and not 0.8 million tonnes as was estimated earlier.

The state and other agencies had earlier estimated that nearly 0.8 million tonnes of iron ore had been illegally transported from mines to the 2 ports and from there to China and Pakistan.

Highly placed sources said that the CID was able to zero in on the exact quantum of missing ore only a few days ago as it had to wait for the Department of Mines and Geology to assess and quantify the ore still stored at Belekeri and Karwar.

The CID had taken over investigation of the case on June 26 and it had already issued notices to officials of the Department of Forests and Mines and Geology asking them to clarify what they were doing when such a large quantity of ore was transported to Belekeri and Karwar ports through different check posts.

The CID had so far found that though there were 24 dumps of iron ore when they conducted the panchanama one and half months ago. There are only twenty dumps now. The rest of the dumps had either been shipped out or transported to some other place.
With the High Court asking the State Government what steps it has taken after transport and export of ore was banned, all eyes are now on the CID to explain the progress it has achieved. Sources in the office of the Advocate General said that the CID appears to have done little of note after registering a case.

The source said that the CID had only sent letters to 55 mining companies asking them to respond to their queries on the issue. Though the CID had seized documents, it had so far not filed any charge sheet or even an additional first information report on ore theft. With the court now asking the State to show progress in the case and taking it to task for failing to carry out further probe, it is now certain that the pressure would be transferred to the CID to show results.

(Sourced from Mangalorean.com)