CBI to quiz Prajapati in UP mining scam probe

New Delhi: The CBI is all set to question former mining minister of UP Gayatri Prasad Prajapati in connection with agency’s probe into the multi-crore sand mining scam in the state by the end of this week.

Sources in the agency said Mr Prajapati’s questioning will be part of CBI’s probe into the latest FIR registered by the Central probe agency in the multi-crore sand mining scam in UP. Mr Prajapati is considered close to Samajwadi Party supremo and former chief minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav. The CBI on October 1 conducted searches at 11 locations in Uttarakhand and UP after registering a fresh FIR in connection with the multi-crore sand mining scam against 12 people, including two senior IAS officers serving as secretaries in the UP government.

Sources said the case pertained to the alleged irregularities in the allocation of sand mining leases in Saharanpur. Former district magistrates of Saharanpur Ajay Kumar Singh and Pawan Kumar are among the 12 accused named in the FIR. Mr Singh is presently the secretary of Khadi and Village Industries Board, while Mr Kumar is now posted as special secretary in the housing and urban planning department. “It is suspected that the public servants booked in this case are close to Mr Prajapati, former state mining minister”, sources said, adding that this is the reason that the CBI wants to question Mr Prajapati.

The probe agency had recovered `15 lakh from the residence of Mr Singh besides documents of two properties, they said, adding it is alleged that between 2005 and 2015, 13 leases were granted to accused lease holders in Saharanpur. These leases were renewed in 2012 and 2015 by then district magistrates in alleged violation of government orders of allotting lease deeds only through e-tendering. These public servants in criminal conspiracy with private persons had abused their official position and executed lease deeds in favour of accused, sources claimed.