Enough 'Evidence' Against Mining Ministers in UP, 14 Violations During Akhilesh's Tenure: CBI

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posted on 5 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has assured that they have enough evidence against mining ministers under whose regime illegal tenders related to sand mining were approved.

Among the 22 illegal tenders passed by the Uttar Pradesh government, one was also given to Samajwadi Party MP from Jalaun, Ghanshyam Anuragi, and was passed by Gayatri Prajapati, who held the portfolio of mining minister, agency sources have said. They added that the main focus of the entire inquiry was to look into the illegality of the approval of tenders.

According to the agency, about 22 leases were granted without e-tenders. Of these violations, 14 occurred in 2012-13 when Akhilesh Yadav was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and simultaneously held the portfolio of mining minister. The remaining eight took place when Prajapati was the mining minister. The value of the lease is Rs 5 lakh and above. According to sources, all the lease of the amount have due approval from the chief minister’s office.

Of the officials raided on Sunday after the CBI registered an FIR in the case was IAS B Chandrakala, the DM of Hamirpur district when the violations took place. "Searches have been conducted at 12 places in the districts of Hamirpur, Jalon, Noida, Kanpur and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and in Delhi. During the searches, incriminating material pertaining to illegal Sand Mining; huge cash and gold were recovered," read the CBI statement.

The FIR alleges that public servants, in criminal conspiracy with other accused, allowed illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district from 2012-2016. It adds that they illegally granted fresh leases for mining of sand, renewed existing leases and permitted obstructed period to the existing lease holders, thereby causing wrongful loss to the government exchequer and undue gain to themselves. Other persons were allowed to excavate minor minerals illegally, to commit theft of the minor minerals and to extort money from the lease holders as well as from the drivers of the vehicles transporting minor minerals, it said.