The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Karnataka government for its failure to check large-scale illegal export of iron ore from Belekeri port in Karwar district.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam also indicated that it may direct CBI probe into the illegal export of 35 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore and eight lakh metric tonnes of seized mineral from the port. The Bench directed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to devise ways to “segregate” the case relating to illegal export in a manner which could speed up the investigation leading to early “conviction” of those guilty within six months.