PabloLabarre at 13:05, 23 July 2025

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{{Short description|Illegal sand mining}}
{{Use dmy dates|date= January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date= January 2019}}

The '''Uttar Pradesh [[Sand theft|illegal sand mining]] scam''' is a [[political scandal]] relating to events that occurred in 2012–2017 during the [[Samajwadi Party]] (SP) rule in Uttar Pradesh. It is being investigated by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI) on the 2016 orders of [[Allahabad High Court]] for allowing illegal mining in 7 districts of Uttar Pradesh – Shamli, Hamirpur, Fatehpur, Siddharthnagar, Deoria, Kaushambi and Saharanpur – in violation of rules and ban by the [[National Green Tribunal Act|National Green Tribunal]].<ref name=SPscam1/><ref name=SPscam2/><ref name=SPscam3/> On 5 January 2019, the CBI raided 14 suspects in 14 locations in 7 cities across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi pertaining to this scam,<ref name=SPscam1/><ref name=SPscam6>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ias-officer-legislator-among-14-raided-by-cbi-in-up-delhi/story-SEMXmCKETYNaCza2NCNRmM.html IAS officer, legislator among 14 raided by CBI in UP, Delhi], ''Hindustan Times'', 5 Jan 2019.</ref><ref name=SPscam7/> and incriminating evidence was seized.<ref name=SPscam7>[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/illegal-sand-mining-case-cbi-conducts-raids-in-uttar-pradesh-delhi-1424093-2019-01-05 Illegal sand mining case: CBI conducts raids in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi], ''India Today'', 5 January 2019.</ref>

CBI is likely to investigate former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister [[Akhilesh Yadav]] and former minister [[Gayatri Prasad Prajapati]], both of whom were respectively in charge of Uttar Pradesh mining ministry when the [[Samajwadi Party]] ruled the state from 2012 to 2017.<ref name=SPscam1>[https://scroll.in/article/908442/the-daily-fix-cbi-raids-just-after-sp-bsp-alliance-raise-further-questions-about-its-impartiality The Daily Fix: CBI raids just after SP-BSP alliance raise further questions about its impartiality], Scroll.in, 7 January 2019.</ref><ref name=SPscam3/> CBI has filed an [[First information report|FIR]] against 11 suspects, which additionally specifies that the role of then ministers of mining, Yadav and Prajapati, will also be investigated.<ref name=SPscam4>[http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=357579 CBI raids 12 places in UP, Delhi in connection with illegal sand mining], Newsonair.com, 6 Jan 2019.</ref> According to CBI FIR, Yadav had approved 13 mining leases on a single day in his capacity as Chief Minister-cum-minister for mines.<ref name=unpreced1>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/akhilesh-yadav-cleared-13-mining-leases-on-a-single-day-claims-cbi/story-8IEX8kAipxOY92knQSyLpJ.html Akhilesh Yadav cleared 13 mining leases on a single day, claims CBI], ''Hindustan Times'', 9 Jan 2019.</ref>

==Unearthing of scam==
The initial reports of scam started to pour out for illegal sand mining during the earlier [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]] rule as well as the current SP rule.<ref name=SPscam5>[https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/up-govt-sets-up-teams-to-probe-illegal-sand-mud-stone-mining-22315.html UP govt sets up teams to probe illegal sand, mud, stone mining], indiatvnews.com, 27 April 2013.</ref> In June 2013, [[Durga Shakti Nagpal]] launched a massive crackdown on illegal mining.<ref name=toi40960>{{cite news|title=IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal suspended for a demolition that never was|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IAS-Durga-Shakti-Nagpal-suspended-for-a-demolition-that-never-was/articleshow/21519309.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130804160006/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-01/india/40960246_1_religious-structure-sand-mafia-government|url-status=live|archive-date=4 August 2013|access-date=2 August 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=1 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=104 arrests in 6 months: Noida IAS officer's sand mafia crackdown|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/104-arrests-in-6-months-noida-ias-officers-sand-mafia-crackdown/1148490/0|accessdate=31 July 2013|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=30 July 2013|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803230248/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/104-arrests-in-6-months-noida-ias-officers-sand-mafia-crackdown/1148490/0|archivedate=3 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> On 23 July 2013, Nagpal had said that she would take strict action against dredgers engaged in [[illegal mining]], adding that such activity could affect the environment adversely. Since April 2013, the [[Uttar Pradesh Police]] had filed 17 [[First Information Report|FIRs]] and the [[Magistrate#India|Chief Judicial magistrates]] had ordered the arrest of illegal sand miners in 22 cases. From April to June 2013, the police had impounded 297 vehicles and machinery used for illegal mining and collected Rs {{formatnum:8234000}} in fines. Under Nagpal, a joint operation involving the revenue, police and transport departments was launched and villages of Asgarpur, Nangla Wajidpur, Gulavli, Kambakshpur, and Jaganpur Chaproli were monitored.<ref>{{cite news|title=Durga IAS takes on Noida sand mafia|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Durga-IAS-takes-on-Noida-sand-mafia/articleshow/21260258.cms|access-date=31 July 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=23 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724181256/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Durga-IAS-takes-on-Noida-sand-mafia/articleshow/21260258.cms|archive-date=24 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> On 25 July, the government transferred the mining officer of the GB Nagar district Ashish Kumar, who was assisting Nagpal, to [[Bulandshahr district|Bulandshahr]]. Before being transferred, Kumar survived three attempts on his life, the last one was on 9 February 2013. Nagpal was also targeted on 26 April 2013, during a visit to the Kasna police station. These attacks were attributed to the "sand mafia" operating in the district.<ref>{{cite news|title=Government pulled two thorns out of sand mafia's side in a week|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Government-pulled-two-thorns-out-of-sand-mafias-side-in-a-week/articleshow/21498314.cms|access-date=31 July 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=31 July 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303124438/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Government-pulled-two-thorns-out-of-sand-mafias-side-in-a-week/articleshow/21498314.cms|archive-date=3 March 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=ht1102335>{{cite news|title=Official in Durga's team survived three attacks on life|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/UttarPradesh/Official-in-Durga-s-team-survived-three-attacks-on-life/Article1-1102335.aspx|accessdate=2 August 2013|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=2 August 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803061600/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/UttarPradesh/Official-in-Durga-s-team-survived-three-attacks-on-life/Article1-1102335.aspx|archivedate=3 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=toi21562701>{{cite news|title=Greater Noida locals brave bullets, chase away sand mafia|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Greater-Noida-locals-brave-bullets-chase-away-sand-mafia/articleshow/21562701.cms?intenttarget=no|access-date=3 August 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=3 August 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821054048/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Greater-Noida-locals-brave-bullets-chase-away-sand-mafia/articleshow/21562701.cms?intenttarget=no|archive-date=21 August 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]-led [[Ministry of Mines (India)|Union Ministry of Mines of India]] had criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for allowing arbitrary allotment, instead of a transparent auction, for mining leases and contracts for some minerals such as gypsum, mica, quartz and sand, which also considered issuing a directive to overrule the state action since it was in violation of the [[Supreme Court of India]]’s orders against arbitrary allotment of mines.<ref name=SPscam2>[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/metals-mining/ministry-raps-up-government-for-allowing-arbitrary-mining-lease-allotment/articleshow/54554857.cms Ministry raps UP government for allowing arbitrary mining lease], Economic Times, 27 Sep 2016.</ref>

==Legal cases and investigations==
On September 9, 2016, Allahabad High Court ordered a CBI enquiry against the illegal mining across Uttar Pradesh, and then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav removed mines minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati for his alleged collaboration with the mining mafia.<ref name=SPscam2/> Before that from 2012 to June 2013, Yadav himself was in charge of mining in the UP state mining ministry before Prajapati was made the mining minister.<ref name=SPscam2/> House and offices of Samajwadi Party MLC [[Ramesh Mishra]], [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]] politician Satyadev Dikshit and 2008 batch IAS officer [[B Chandrakala]] were raided, and incriminating evidence including documents, INR 2 crore cash and jewellery were seized from 14 locations in 7 cities.<ref name=SPscam3>[https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-up-mining-scam-cbi-may-probe-akhilesh-yadav-2704669 UP mining scam: CBI may probe Akhilesh Yadav], DNA India, 7 Jan 2019.</ref><ref name=SPscam6/><ref name=SPscam7/> Chandrakala is accused of bypassing the rules to illegally allocate the mines.<ref name=SPscam3/> Prajapati was earlier arrested in 2017 in an unrelated [[Gayatri Prasad Prajapati#Rape allegations|rape case]].<ref name=SPscam3/>

==Current status==
The case is under investigation by the CBI.<ref name=SPscam1/>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Politics|Law}}
* [[List of scandals in India]]
* [[Corruption in India]]
* [[The Lokpal Bill, 2011]]
* [[Uttar Pradesh NRHM scam]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=357579 CBI investigates the scam]

{{Scams and confidence tricks}}

[[Category:Political scandals in India]]
[[Category:Political corruption in India]]
[[Category:Allahabad High Court]]
[[Category:Mining in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Corruption in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Illegal mining in India]]
[[Category:Sand mining]]

Uttar Pradesh sand mining scandal - Revision history

PabloLabarre at 13:05, 23 July 2025