India
Although the CBI has not named Akhilesh Yadav, the agency has said that the roles of all ministers who headed the mining ministry of Uttar Pradesh will be probed, and the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh held additionally the portfolio of mining
Lucknow/New Delhi: As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigates the alleged mining scam of Uttar Pradesh that happened under the Samajwadi Party rule in Uttar Pradesh, former chief minister of the state and party president Akhilesh Yadav will face the heat of the probe, too. For, he additionally held the portfolio of mining in the period 2012-2013.
Although the CBI has not named Akhilesh Yadav, the agency has said that the roles of all ministers who headed the mining ministry of Uttar Pradesh will be probed. The CBI has filed a first information report (FIR) after conducting a preliminary inquiry where state cadre IAS officer B Chandrakala is the main accused. Sources said that Chandrakala was close to Samajwadi Party ministers including then chief minister Yadav. It is likely that CBI may arrest the IAS officer after getting the permission for it.
"The role of the then Mining Ministers concerned during the relevant period may be looked into during the course of the investigation of the case," CBI has specifically said in its FIR.
"The enquiry revealed that during the years 2012 to 2016, (1) B. Chandrakala, IAS, (UP: 2008), the then District Magistrate, Hamirpur, in criminal conspiracy with (2) Moinuddin, the then Geologist/Mining Officer, Hamirpur, (3) Ram Ashrey Prajapati, the then Mining Clerk, Hamirpur; all State Government employees and pursuance thereof; al/owed the private persons (leaseholders), namely, (4) Ramesh Kumar Mishra; (5) Dinesh Kumar Mishra; (6) Ambika Tiwari (7) Sanjay Dixit (8) Satyadev Dixit (9) Ramavtar Singh (10) Karen Singh (11) Adil Khan and (12) Unknown public servants and other unknown persons; allowed illegal mining of minor minerals in District - Hamirpur, UP., during the years 2012 to 2016, thereby causing wrongful loss to the Government exchequer and undue gain to themselves," the FIR reads.
The CBI inquiry revealed that the named government servants hatched a criminal conspiracy to illegally grant fresh leases, renew existing leases and permit the obstructed period to the existing leaseholders, without following the e-tendering procedure as mentioned.
"Other persons were allowed to excavate minor minerals illegally, to commit theft of the minor minerals and to extort money from the leaseholders as well as from the drivers of the vehicles transporting minor minerals," CBI said in its FIR.
On the basis of the PE, the CBI has filed a case of commission of theft, extortion, cheating and criminal misconduct, punishable under section IPC 120-B, 379, 384, 420, 511 IPC and also under Section 13(2) read with Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (prior to the Amendment dated July 27, 2018).
"The true face of Akhilesh's "pro-poor" socialism is now getting exposed layer-by-layer and it is there for the people to see. We can only say that perhaps two corrupt forces are trying to shake hands to keep the lid on their corruption intact," said Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan.
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