CBI raids former DMs and 10 others

LUCKNOW: After registration of fresh FIR in alleged illegal sand mining during Samajwadi Party regime between 2012 and 2016, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday carried out comprehensive searches at 11 locations, including Lucknow, Saharanpur and Dehradun.

The CBI officials said the houses of two former district magistrates (DM) of Saharanpur-1998 batch IAS officer Ajai Kumar Singh and 2008 batch IAS officer Pawan Kumar-- were also searched in Lucknow.

They said Singh remained posted as the DM Saharanpur between 2012 and 2014 while Kumar was posted thereafter between 2014 and 2015.

The officials seized ₹15 lakh from the resident of Singh, who is presently posted as secretary of Khadi and Village Industry, as well as documents related to residential and commercial plots.

Another place searched was the house of former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLC Haji Iqbal in Mirzapur in Saharanpur district. A police official familiar

ALL THE ACCUSED WERE BOOKED UNDER CHARGES OF IPC SECTIONS 120-B FOR CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND 420 FOR FRAUD

with the development said that CBI team raided Iqbal’s house after registering a fresh case in connection with the alleged irregularities in allocation of sand mining leases during the BSP rule in UP.

CBI officials said the FIR registered on Monday was related to illegal renewals of sand mining leases in Saharanpur by the district and the state authorities in collusion with lease holders and others. They said the case was registered in accordance with the order dated July 28, 2016 of the Allahabad High Court.

CBI spokesman RK Gaur said the regular FIR was registered with CBI office at New Delhi after a preliminary enquiry revealed that 13 sand mining leases were renewed without following e-tendering procedure as mentioned in the state government order.

He said the FIR was registered against the two former DMs and 10 other lease holders who were benefited with illegal renewal. He said all the accused were booked under charges of IPC sections 120-B for criminal conspiracy and 420 for fraud as well charges of prevention of corruption act were slapped against them.

Gaur said others made accused in the FIR included Mehmood Ali, Dilshad, Mohd Inam, Mehboob Alam (since expired), Naseem Ahmad, Amit Jain, Vikas Agarwal, Mohd Wajid, Mukesh Jain, Puneet Jain, and other unknown public servants and other unknown persons. One of the beneficiaries, Vikas Agarwal is resident of Dehradun.