7 days ago
High Court reinstates mining officer suspended in bribery case
Mangaluru: Ina significant judgment, the Karnataka High Court has overturned the suspension of Deputy Director of the Department of Mines and Geology, Krishna Veni, ruling that she should be reinstated to her current position without delay. Krishna Veni was arrested by Lokayukta police on May 28 on bribery charges relating to the issuance of house construction approvals. She later filed a writ petition, asserting that the allegations were baseless and motivated by a conspiracy involving vested interests.
The High Court, after reviewing her petition and documents, found that the Lokayukta action was triggered by a complaint lacking credibility. The court directed the State Department of Mines and Geology to allow her to resume duty.
Sources familiar with the case said Krishna Veni had initiated the use of advanced systems like the Sand App and GPS-based tracking to introduce transparency in sand and mining regulation. Her push for reforms allegedly antagonised individuals involved in illegal sand extraction. It has also emerged that a previously suspended officer, allegedly aligned with the sand mafia, was transferred to Dakshina Kannada and may have played a role in orchestrating the complaint. Public interest groups have welcomed the court's decision, calling it a win for honest officials fighting systemic corruption in resource management.
