The Supreme Court of India has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to scrutinize the alleged illegal exports of more than 50 lakh tonnes of iron ore from the Bellikere port in Karnataka.

The four major exporters who were allegedly involved in the illegal export for the iron ore are: ILC Industries Ltd, SB Logistics, Dream Logistics Co., and Shree Mallikarjun Shipping Pvt. Ltd.

It may be noted here that ILC Industries Ltd is associated with former ministers Somashekar Reddy and Gali Janardhan Reddy; while SB Logistics is owned by incumbent Karnataka cabinet minister Anand Singh.

It is alleged that ILC Industries Ltd, Dream Logistics Co. and Shree Mallikarjuna Shipping Pvt. Ltd illegally exported 9.68, 9.16 and 7.23 lakh tones of iron ore, respectively. SB Logistics exported 7.74 lakh tones.

The apex court endorsed the Central Empowered Committee's (CEC's) view that the probes carried out by the state's CID failed to inspire confidence.

Sustaining the CDC's view, the apex court said, "Can anyone imagine that the state authority, right from bottom to top was not aware of the illegal mining of iron ore to the tune of 50.7 lakh metric tonnes, its transportation and export?"

A bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan, Swatanter Kumar and Aftab Alam criticized the state machinery, saying it was clearly involved in all those illegalities.

The alleged illegal exports of iron ore were made between January 1, 2009 and May 31, 2010.