Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Likely To Skip CBI Summons In Illegal Mining Case

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is expected to abstain from appearing before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi on Thursday, as per sources familiar with the matter. The CBI had issued a notice to Yadav on Wednesday to record his statement as a witness in an alleged illegal mining case in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district, spanning from 2012 to 2016. Sources indicate that Yadav will not comply with the summons.

The CBI has accused government officials of permitting illegal mining activities during Yadav's tenure as Chief Minister, purportedly by granting mining leases in contravention of the e-tendering process. Particularly, the agency alleges that on February 17, 2013, 13 projects were cleared by the Chief Minister's office in a single day, violating e-tendering norms. Yadav held the mining portfolio during 2012-13.

Responding to the CBI summons, Yadav remarked that the case, initiated in 2019, appears politically motivated ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He expressed skepticism about the timing of the summons, suggesting a pattern of targeting the Samajwadi Party by the BJP.

The FIR filed in connection with the case includes charges such as criminal conspiracy, theft, extortion, cheating, attempt to commit offences, and misconduct. Eleven individuals have been named in the case for allegedly facilitating illegal mining activities despite a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal.

The CBI's investigation into the matter commenced following an order from the Allahabad High Court in 2016.