Bengaluru: The Congress government has decided to reopen the illegal iron ore export cases closed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by authorising the Special Investigation Team(SIT) to probe afresh the cases of illegal export of ore.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accepted the recommendation of the Cabinet subcommittee, headed by Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil, that recommended the SIT probe.

The decision was taken in the wake of the of CBI closing the cases of illegal export of iron ore through New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), Karwar, Panaji, and Marmagoa ports citing lack of prima facie evidence.

An SIT probe might put BJP leaders in an embarrassing spot during the run-up to the polls.

Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister in 2013 after he conducted a padayatra to Ballari against illegal mining during the BJP regime.

Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra said the SIT would get all the records transferred from the CBI. Illegalities in export of iron ore was exposed by former Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde.

Explaining the Cabinet decisions, Jayachandra said the CBI had conducted the probe following the Supreme Court order after hearing a petition of the Samaj Parivartan Samudaya.

The CBI probed the cases involving export of over 50,000 tonnes, while state SIT was given cases below 50,000 tonnes. Jayachnadra said the SIT has completed its probe into 72 cases so far and filed charge sheets in 22 cases. The Cabinet decided to confiscate the properties of those involved in these cases to recover loss to the state exchequer from illegal mining.