Trouble brewing for Akhilesh Yadav as CBI digs into mining cases

New Delhi: Trouble seems to be brewing for former CM of UP Akhilesh Yadav as the CBI has now started probing 13 mining projects, which were allegedly cleared by his office on a single day, as part of its investigation into the illegal mining scam in the state.

Sources said the office of the former chief minister had allegedly cleared 14 leases, of which 13 were cleared on February 17, 2013, in violation of the e-tendering process. Sources added that on February 17, 2013, the leases were granted by the district magistrate of Hamirpur after getting approval from then chief minister’s office in violation of its 2012 e-tender policy, which was ratified by the Allahabad high court on January 29, 2013. The agency is now scrutinising documents pertaining to 13 mining projects, they said.

Mr Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13, apparently bringing his role under the scanner. The illegal mining took place between 2012 to 2016. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013. However, Mr Yadav has denied the allegations, saying the BJP was using the CBI as a tool for arm-twisting the Opposition party leaders.

It may be recalled that the CBI recently conducted searches at 20 places in connection with its probe pertaining to the mining scam in UP. The CBI is also preparing to question former state mining minister Gayatri Prajapati. Searches were conducted at the premises of Mr Prajapati in Amethi. All leases of '5 lakh and above had to get due approval from the CM’s office, according to the rules. The CBI had earlier conducted searches in January at several locations in UP and Delhi in connection with the mining scam. Premises of senior officers, including IAS officer B. Chandralekha in Hamirpur, who had served as the district magistrate of Bijnor, Bulandshahr and Meerut, had also been searched by the CBI.