CBI officer probing Akhilesh's role in sand mining scam transferred

DIG Gagandeep Gambhir, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer who was investigating former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's role in the illegal sand mining scam has been transferred, sources said on Tuesday.

CBI sources said that Gambhir, who was investigating the role of Akhilesh and other bureaucrats in the illegal sand mining scam, has been transferred to anti-corruption ACIII from special crime unit SCII.

Anish Prasad, who was deputy director of CBI, will now be investigating the sand mining scam, said sources.

ACIII, where Gambhir has been transferred, is currently investigating Bihar's Srijan scam and journalist Upendra Rai's case.

On Saturday, CBI carried out searches at 12 places in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in an ongoing investigation of a case relating to alleged illegal mining of minerals in Hamirpur.

During the searches, incriminating material pertaining to illegal sand mining, including huge cash and gold were recovered.

CBI registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the then District Magistrate of Hamirpur, then Geologist/Mining Officer, the then mining clerk and eight others including leaseholders, private persons and other unknown public servants and unknown persons.

Earlier, an inquiry into the alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in district Hamirpur was conducted on the orders the Allahabad High Court.

It was alleged that public servants in criminal conspiracy with other accused allowed illegal mining of minor minerals in the district during 2012-2016. It was further alleged that they had illegally granted fresh leases for mining of sand, renewed existing leases and permitted obstructed period to the existing leaseholders and thereby caused wrongful loss to the government exchequer and undue gain to themselves.

It was also alleged that other persons were allowed to excavate minor minerals illegally, to commit theft of the minor minerals and to extort money from the leaseholders as well as from the drivers of the vehicles transporting minor minerals.

Government officials, along with private individuals, had allegedly allocated some illegal mining sites by flouting rules and regulations between the year 2012 and 2016. Mining rights were also given in violation of NGT orders.

Yadav held the charge of Mining Ministry between 2012 to July 2013 and hence can come under scanner in the ongoing probe.

CBI sources also confirmed that all those who held portfolios at the time of the scam will be investigated.