Overview
- Basavaraj Rayareddy’s October 18 letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah alleges large-scale illegal extraction along roughly 85 km of the Tungabhadra and estimates 100–150 truckloads move daily without permits.
- He describes a 200-member network involving Mines and Geology and other local officials, names 10 officials in Koppal, and seeks immediate transfers plus a deputy commissioner–led task force.
- The BJP seized on the letter to accuse the Congress government of enabling graft, citing a claimed Rs 400 crore annual loss in uncollected royalties.
- Koppal’s district officer cadre responded with a 20-point counter-letter challenging his assertions and demanding clarifications on the alleged revenue loss and his role in district affairs.
- Speaking to reporters, Rayareddy later called his letter a routine matter based on media reports, while some coverage cited unverified CCTV material purportedly linking local officers to the trade.