CBI Summons Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav in Illegal Mining Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued summons to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in connection with an illegal mining case, dating back to his tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2016. The summons, issued under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC), call Yadav as a witness and are scheduled for February 29.

The case involves allegations of illegal mining of Minor Minerals in District Hamirpur during the aforementioned period. It is claimed that public servants, in collusion with other accused, permitted illegal mining activities, renewed leases unlawfully, and allowed obstructions to existing leaseholders, leading to financial losses for the government and personal gains for themselves.

Additionally, it is alleged that unauthorized individuals were permitted to engage in illegal excavation and theft of minor minerals, along with extortion from leaseholders and vehicle drivers transporting such materials.

Earlier investigations on January 5, 2019, resulted in raids across 12 locations in districts including Hamirpur, Jalon, Noida, Kanpur, and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, as well as in Delhi. During these raids, incriminating evidence related to illegal sand mining, significant amounts of cash, and gold were reportedly seized.