Court for suspension of 2 former Rampur DMs

ALLAHABAD: Taking serious note of illegal mining in the state and alleged undue favour given by the state machinery to a person involved in such activity, the Allahabad high court has directed the state government to consider placing under suspension Rakesh Kumar Singh and Rajeev Rautela, two former district magistrates of Rampur, in this connection.

The court further directed that if they are still in service, the state government should initiate disciplinary proceedings against them and take the issue to its logical conclusion without any delay.

Hearing a writ petition filed by one Maqsood, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosale and Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta also directed that the chief secretary shall ensure that the inquiry, as directed by the previous order of the high court (dated August 24, 2015), is now held within one month to identify other officials, both in the district administration and the police, who were responsible for dereliction of duty resulting in illegal mining by the private respondent.

Coming down heavily on the state government, the court observed, "The inaction on part of the state in holding the inquiry as directed for fixing responsibility of the officials, who were responsible for dereliction of duties, resulting in illegal mining, compels us to infer that there is not only complete lack of will on part of the state to prevent illegal mining, but it seems that the state had deliberately tried to shield the erring officials by conveniently choosing to overlook the directions issued by this court." The court further directed that based on the said inquiry, the state government shall initiate disciplinary action against the erring officials and the same shall be taken to its logical conclusion expeditiously.

While directing to list this matter on January 16, 2018, for the next hearing, the court directed that by this date, the compliance report supported by the affidavit of the chief secretary shall be filed.

The petitioner filed this writ petition in public interest complaining against illegal mining by the private respondent, Gulam Hussain alias Nanhe, from river Kosi in Rampur area, in collusion and connivance with the state machinery.

'Illegal mining went on with renewed licence'

During the hearing, of hearing, the court was informed that the storage licence of Gulam Hussain, which was not renewed after this court intervened by entertaining the earlier PIL, was renewed by a subsequent order and under its shield he succeeded in carrying on illegal mining. Taking serious note, the court observed, "We were shocked to learn that storage license was once again granted to the private respondent, despite the categorical finding recorded by this court in its previous order that he had been guilty of carrying on illegal mining."

"We have also no hesitation in holding that the district administration and the police authorities were in league with the private respondent, as a result whereof, he once again succeeded in procuring storage license in his favour and under the garb whereof, he again succeeded in carrying on illegal mining," the court added.

The directions were made on December 7.