Karnataka Forest Minister Khandre trespassed on HMT land, alleges Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy
Ramanagara, Oct 30: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday alleged that the Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre trespassed on the land belonging to HMT, a central public sector enterprise, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Khandre on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take disciplinary action against those who permitted felling of trees in a forest land here, where a set was erected for shooting a Kannada movie 'Toxic'. He also conducted a spot inspection of the site.
“There is trespassing (by Khandre) on the HMT land. We (had earlier) filed a suit related to it (over ownership of the land) and we are waiting for the court direction. We will fight it legally but we will not raise the issue for publicity,” Kumaraswamy, the Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister, told reporters.
In a note to Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment on Tuesday, Khandre said a total of 599 acres of reserve forest in Bengaluru's Peenya plantation-1 and plantation-2 is gazetted, which was illegally handed over to HMT in the 1960s without de-notification.
“The Forest Minister visited the HMT premises yesterday, which was given to the Canara Bank way back in 2002. It was not given on lease but sold to them (Canara Bank),” Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) second-in-command, said.
He said he would hold a press conference in a day or two against the Forest Minister’s "attempt" to create confusion ‘unnecessarily’ in connection with the HMT land.
The Union Minister said there are encroachments on forest lands in various parts of the State, including Bengaluru.
In Srinivasapura in Kolar district, a public representative has encroached on 120 acres of forest land. A court has given direction to recover 61 acres of land from him. Deadline has also been fixed but no step has been taken, Kumaraswamy alleged.
“I want to ask the Forest Minister who met the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), what direction did CM give you (Forest Minister) and what instruction you (Forest Minister) gave to the forest officials. Should there be different yardsticks for the poor and the Congress leaders?” Kumaraswamy sought to know.
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Adani, nephew not charged under US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Adani Green
New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani have not been charged with any violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment filed by US authorities in a court in a bribery case, the Adani Group said on Wednesday.
Gautam Adani, founder chairman of the ports-to-energy conglomerate, Sagar Adani and another key executive, Vneet Jaain, have been charged by the US Department of Justice with being part of an alleged scheme to pay USD 265 million in bribes to Indian officials to win contracts for supply of solar electricity that would yield USD 2 billion profit over a 20-year period.
In a stock exchange filing, Adani Green Energy Ltd, which is at the centre of the bribery allegations, said reports claiming that the three have been charged with FCPA violations "are incorrect".
They have been charged with offences that are punishable with a monetary fine or penalty.
"Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain have not been charged with any violation of the FCPA in the counts set forth in the indictment of the US DOJ or civil complaint of the US SEC.
"These directors have been charged on three counts in the criminal indictment, namely (i) alleged securities fraud conspiracy, (ii) alleged wire fraud conspiracy, and (iii) alleged securities fraud," the filing said.
The Adani Group has denied all allegations and said it will take all possible legal recourse to defend itself.
A criminal indictment has been filed before the United States District Court Eastern District of New York by the Department of Justice in the case of USA against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain.
"The indictment does not specify any quantum of any fine/penalty," the company said.
The civil complaint alleges that the executives violated certain sections of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Act of 1934, and aided and abetted Adani Green Energy Limited's violation of the Acts, it said.
"Although the complaint prays for an order directing the defendants to pay civil monetary penalties, it does not quantify the amount of penalty," it said.
