High court dismisses bail pleas of six accused

HT Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed bail petitions of six accused in an illegal mining case reported in Ferozepur district and asked director general of police (DGP) to appoint a senior officer to probe the matter.

The FIR was registered on July 26 at the Arif Ke police station in Ferozepur.

The police and the mining department had found 18 heavy duty vehicles, seven of them filled with sand, at the site.

After the accused approached high court for bail in August, alleging false implication due to political rivalry, the court had sought a report from the DGP.

In the report, it came to light that a huge illegal sand quarry was found at the site.

Owners of the land, where illegal sand mining was carried out, have also been nominated as accused, the police had told court.

As of owners of 18 vehicles, the police had stated as many as 31 accused have been nominated after identifying the owners of 16 vehicles.

The ownership of the two vehicles is being ascertained, the court was told adding that heavy machinery too was seized from the spot.

“The illegal sand mining is not only eating into the precious revenue of the government but is also causing immense danger to the environment and ecology of the area,” the court observed, denying relief to all six petitioners and asking the director general of police to examine feasibility of constituting a special investigation team under the supervision of an officer of the rank of inspector general of police from the head office to reach to the root of the problem and add more credibility to the probe.

Illegal sand mining is not only eating into the precious revenue of the govt but is also causing immense danger to the environment and ecology. HIGH COURT,