More evidences poured in to buttress charges of illegal mining and corruption in the Mining Department and that too under the information of minister Gyatri Prajapati. lokayukta Justice (retd), NK Mehrorta, who is making a probe in the matter had also sought details of some properties which are alleged to be indirectly owned by the minister.
Sources said that two of the journalists from Sonebhadra, against whom allegations of being member of the RsSyndicate’ facilitating illegal mining in Sonebhadra has been already made by senior survey officer of Sonebhadra, Ram Nath Yadav, appeared before Mehrorta and reportedly handed over a audio tape pointing that the illegal operations has been made in the knowledge of minister Gyatri Prajapati. Apprehending threats to their lives for making statement in the matter, both the journalists appeared before Mehrotra on Wednesday afternoon and denied of receiving any benefit from the illegal trade or were part of any syndicate. They revealed that the allegations made against them by Ram Nath Yadav are baseless but the truth is that they both fight against the illegal mining in the area.
Sources said that giving some audio recording to Mehrorta, both journalists revealed that they recorded it secretly during their interaction with than district mining officer of Sonebhadra, Raj Kumar Sangam, about a year back. They disclosed that Sangam told them that Ram Nath (who made allegations against them) had informed about illegal mining operation before minister Gyatri Prajapati so now the RsVIP’(code word for extortion), which was over 1 crore daily will be reduced just to half for local distribution as the other portion would go to lucknow. They also confirmed that how daily extortion has been made by the Rssyndicate’ in Sonebhadra.
Interestingly, though both denied of charges of receiving their share as alleged by Ram Nath Yadav, but had supported entire statement made by Yadav before Mehrorta. Sources said that they also handed over a letter to Mehrotra seeking security cover for making the statement so lokayukta, forwarded it to district police chief of Sonebhadra, to take necessary action.
Meanwhile, sources said that Mehrotra, sent a notice to Vice-Chairman of lucknow Development Authority, Satyendra Singh Yadav, seeking his clarification on some properties. Mehrorta, asked Yadav to reply that plot RsBhinga House’ near Odeon Cinema belongs to whom, on whose order construction work is going there, who cleared the map of the construction plan and that who was making construction on the site. Similarly, he asked that in Zone 3 of Gomati Nagar Extension in whose name(Khasra 634, 637 Gram Hariyarpur) belongs, whether any illegal allotment has been made on that land and whether any proceeding under Section 27 and 28 of UP Urban Planning and Housing Act 1973 has been made or not.
Mehrotra, also sent a letter to one Shivdevi in Paschim Sahodarpur in Pratapgarh, asked her to reply whether boundary wall on her plot has been forcibly erased by mining minister Gyatri Prajapati or not. Both VC of lDA and Shivdevi, were directed to reply to the notice by coming Monday.