Sand mining scam: CBI to grill 2 babus

◗ The CBI on had conducted searches at 11 locations in Uttarakhand and UP after registering a fresh FIR in the multi-crore scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is all set to question two senior IAS officers posted in Uttar Pradesh (UP) in connection with the agency's probe into the multi-crore sand mining scam in the state.

Sources said questioning of the officers will be part of CBI's probe into the latest FIR registered by the central probe agency in the scam.

The CBI on October 1 conducted searches at 11 locations in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh after registering a fresh FIR in connection with the scam against 12 people, including two senior IAS officers serving as secretaries in the UP government.

The CBI will also question former mining minister of UP, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, in connection with the probe into the latest FIR, they added.

Mr Prajapati is considered close to Samajwadi Party supremo and former chief minister of UP Akhilesh Yadav.

Sources further 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. 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, a former state mining minister,” sources said.