india

Updated: Jun 13, 2019 08:15 IST

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted searches at 21 locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in connection with alleged illegal mining activity being undertaken in Hamirpur district between 2012 and 2016, agency officials familiar with the development said.

Two properties owned by a relative of former minister in the Samajwadi Party government, Gayatri Prajapati, were also raided in his home town Amethi, the officials said on the condition of anonymity. Prajapati is currently in judicial custody in a rape case.

Several incriminating documents related to the case have also been recovered during the raids, the officials claimed.

The CBI’s Delhi unit had registered a first information report (FIR) on January 2 against 11 people, including 2008 batch Indian Administrative Officer B Chandrakala and Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra in connection with alleged illegal mining case.

The FIR mentioned that the role of the mining ministers concerned during the relevant period would also be probed.

Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav held additional charge of the mining department from March 2012 to July 2013, while Gayatri Prajapati was in-charge of the department for the remaining period between 2013 and 2016.

One of the CBI officials cited above said it was alleged in the FIR that public servants in collusion with other accused allowed illegal mining of minor minerals, including sand, in Hamirpur.

The official said that the probe also hinted that some other people 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.

On January 5, CBI teams had raided 12 places across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, including the residences of IAS officer B Chandrakala in Lucknow and Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra in Kanpur and Jalaun in this connection.

The CBI teams then seized several documents related to mining and property, around 5 kg gold and jewellery and over Rs 2 crore in cash.