The Justice M.B. Shah Commission inquiring into illegal mining across the country has finally landed in the state which has been emerging as the epicentre for the loot of minerals and ores by mining barons.

Though delayed, the commission will probe illegal mining in various districts including Anantapur where Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy’s Obulapuram Mining Company allegedly plundered precious ore worth thousands of crores of rupees and exported it. Mr Janardhan Reddy was arrested by the CBI along with then mines secretary Y. Srilakshmi and then mines director V.D. Rajagopal in the mining scam.