Akhilesh’s office cleared 13 leases in one day: CBI

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday defended its action in UP illegal mining scam probe, in which Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is under the scanner, saying that former CM’s office had cleared 13 projects in a single day in violation of its own order of e-tendering.

The agency has come under the attack over its raids on Saturday and its plans to examine Akhilesh Yadav, with SP, BSP and Congress criticising the move and calling it an alliance between BJP and CBI.

A source said, the case has been filed in compliance with the Allahabad HC order and calling this vendetta is baseless. CBI sources said Yadav held additional portfolio of mining ministry in Uttar Pradesh in 2012-13 and gave 14 leasing approvals, with 13 cleared on February 17, 2013.

The accused IAS officer, B Chandrakala, who was then district magistrate of Hamirpur, CBI sources added, granted the leasing contracts after getting approval from CM’s office in violation of its own 2012 e-tender policy. This policy, CBI says, was ratified by the Allahabad HC on January 29, 2013.

Eight other leasing contracts were granted by then mining minister Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge after Akhilesh Yadav. CBI sources maintained that they will examine the role of both the ministers, as the permissions came from their office.