Our Correspondent / New Delhi / Lucknow
The BJP has accused former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of shielding mining mafias during his rule. Reacting to CBI searches in connection with illegal sand mining case, party leader and state Minister Sidharth Nath Singh told media persons in New Delhi that e-tender norms for mining were violated during the previous regime and Akhilesh Yadav was the Mining Minister at that time.
He said that the former Chief Minister should answer the questions on his relation with mining mafias accused in this case. Mr Singh said, the CBI should call Mr Yadav for questioning in the matter.
Earlier CBI carried out searches at 12 locations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in connection with illegal sand mining case.
Meanwhile, amid reports that the CBI is likely to quiz him in the illegal mining case, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said he is ready to face the probe agency, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. He added that the BJP is leaving a “culture”, which may be used against it in the future.
“Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP,” Yadav told media persons in Lucknow.
Central Bureau of Investigation has registered FIR against 11 persons including B Chandrakala, an IAS officer, then District Magistrate of Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh, after conducting raids at many places in the state in illegal mining case.
As per the FIR filed in the case, the alleged role of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is under the scanner as he was holding the charge of the Mining Ministry during 2012-13.
Former Minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, who held the portfolio of the mining department is also likely to be questioned by the CBI.
The FIR states that the role of then mining Ministers during the period between 2012-2016 may be looked into during the course of the investigation.
Agency carried out searches yesterday at 12 places in the Districts of Hamirpur, Jalon, Noida, Kanpur & Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and in Delhi.
According to CBI, incriminating material pertaining to illegal Sand Mining; huge cash and Gold were recovered during the search.