CBI summons Akhilesh Yadav as witness in illegal mining case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, to appear as a witness on Friday for questioning related to illegal mining cases. The case was registered five years ago. The CBI issued a notice under section 160 of the CrPC, asking Yadav to appear on February 29, in relation to a case filed in 2019, according to officials.

As per this section, a police officer may summon witnesses for a probe. The case is related to the issuance of mining leases, allegedly in violation of the e-tendering process. The Allahabad High Court had ordered the investigation.

Public servants have been accused of permitting illegal mining during 2012-16, under the tenure of then Chief Minister, Yadav. Despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal, licenses were allegedly renewed unlawfully. Officers are also implicated in mineral theft and extortion from lease-holders and drivers.

In 2016, the CBI initiated seven preliminary enquiries, as directed by the Allahabad High Court, to investigate the illegal mining of minor minerals. The CBI claimed that Akhilesh Yadav's office had approved 13 projects in one day. Yadav, who also managed the mining portfolio for a period, is said to have sanctioned 14 leases, 13 of which were approved on February 17, 2013, allegedly contravening the e-tendering process.

The CBI has alleged that leases were granted by the district magistrate of Hamirpur, B Chandrakala, on February 17, 2013, in violation of the 2012 e-tender policy, after approval from the chief minister's office. This policy had been ratified by the Allahabad High Court on January 29 of the same year. The CBI had conducted searches at 14 locations in January 2019 related to its FIR against 11 individuals, including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra, and Sanjay Dixit, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket.