Samajwadi Party Leader Akhilesh Yadav Summoned by CBI in Illegal Mining Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday summoned Samajwadi Party Supremo Akhilesh Yadav and asked him to participate in the investigation in connection with Uttar Pradesh’s illegal mining case as a witness on February 29. Akhilesh Yadav had briefly held the mining portfolio is reportedly under scrutiny for his role during his tenure as chief minister. The CBI invoked Section 160 of CrPC to summon the SP Chief for questioning in Delhi.

The allegations that have been raised suggest that when Akhilesh Yadav served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh public officials permitted illegal mining activities between 2012 and 2016. It has been claimed that despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal, mining licenses were unlawfully renewed, with officers allegedly involved in mineral theft and extortion from leaseholders and drivers.

In 2016, the CBI launched seven preliminary inquiries as per orders from the Allahabad High Court to investigate cases related to the illegal mining of minor minerals. A total of 11 people who allegedly allowed the illegal mining of minor minerals were named in the FIRs. According to the officials, the then-chief minister's office cleared 13 mining projects in a single day in 2013, raising suspicions of procedural violations. They alleged that Yadav, who briefly held the mining portfolio, approved 14 leases, with 13 of them sanctioned on February 17, 2013, allegedly violating the e-tendering process.

The CBI has stated that on February 17, 2013, leases were approved by the district magistrate of Hamirpur, B Chandrakala, with clearance from the chief minister's office, contrary to the 2012 e-tender policy. In January 2019, the CBI conducted searches at 14 locations as part of its investigation into the alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district between 2012 and 2016, which involved 11 individuals including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra, and Sanjay Dixit.​