Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav as a witness in a case of illegal mining in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district.
In a notice issued under section 160 of CrPC, the agency asked him to appear before it on February 29 in connection with the case registered in 2019.
The illegal mining, as per the FIR, caused loss to the state's coffers and officials misused their position for undue gains.
The Allahabad High Court in 2016 directed a CBI investigation into the illegal mining in Hamirpur after expressing dismay over the inaction being taken to curb the menace.
The High Court, in its order, had said that action was required as natural resources cannot be permitted to be loosely looted. It asked the CBI to submit a report on whether the illegal mining was being carried out with the collusion of state authorities or not. Following this, the CBI filed an FIR in the matter in January 2019.
CBI had registered a case in January 2019 against 11 persons including UP cadre IAS officer B Chandrakala, then SP leader Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who fought 2017 state election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district.
It has been alleged that government officials had allocated some illegal mining sites by flouting rules and regulations between the year 2012 and 2016. Mining rights were also given in violation of NGT orders, the agency added.
Notably, Mr Yadav held the mining department between 2012 and June 2013.
