Akhilesh Yadav to be called as witness in illegal mining case

Lucknow, 28 February (HS): On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) called Akhilesh Yadav, head of the Samajwadi Party (SP), as a witness in an illegal mining case in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district. The CBI issued the notice under Section 160 of the CrPC, requesting that Akhilesh Yadav appear before the federal agency for interrogation on Thursday in Delhi. The notification was issued in connection with a FIR filed against illicit mining in Hamirpur between 2012 and 2016. The FIR was filed for criminal conspiracy, theft, extortion, cheating, attempted crime, and misconduct. Between 2012 and 2016, 11 persons were accused in the FIR, together with unnamed state personnel, for allegedly allowing illicit mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur.

According to the FIR, unlawful mining cost the state money, and officials took advantage of their position for personal benefit. An investigation indicated that government employees, in criminal collusion with one another, fraudulently issued new leases, extended existing leases, and allowed blocked periods for current leaseholders without following a tendering procedure, the FIR noted. Other persons were authorized to unlawfully extract minor minerals, steal minor minerals, and extort money from leaseholders and truck drivers delivering minor minerals, according to the CBI FIR.

In July 2016, the Allahabad High Court ordered a CBI probe into illicit mining in Hamirpur, expressing concern over the lack of action being taken to combat the problem. The High Court stated in its decision that action was essential because natural resources could not be freely stolen. It requested that the CBI provide a report determining whether the unlawful mining was carried out with or without the knowledge of state officials. Following this, the CBI filed a FIR in the case in January 2019.