Samajwadi Party Suggests Akhilesh Yadav Might Forego Summons in Illegal Mining Case

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav

The former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is slated to participate in a meeting of the PDA (Picchda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) at the party headquarters in Lucknow and has no intentions of traveling elsewhere at present, the sources stated.

Responding to inquiries, Rajpal Kashyap, the state president of the Samajwadi Party’s backward wing, informed PTI, “Akhileshji will be present at a PDA meeting at the party office today.” “He has no plans to leave. He will be attending a meeting in Lucknow,” added Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury.

Regarding the CBI’s notice to Mr. Yadav, Chowdhury remarked, “I don’t have specific details on this matter. However, certainly, he will not be traveling to Delhi today.”

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Under Section 160 of the CrPC, the CBI has summoned Yadav to appear before it on February 29, as per officials. This section empowers a police officer to call witnesses for questioning.

“He is not a suspect. He is a witness,” a senior official familiar with the situation told PTI.

The cases for which Yadav is summoned pertain to alleged irregularities in the issuance of mining leases, violating the e-tendering process. The Allahabad High Court had directed the investigation.

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During 2012-16 when Yadav served as Chief Minister, it is alleged that public officials permitted illegal mining and unlawfully renewed licenses despite a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal.

In response to the notices concerning cases filed in 2019, Yadav criticized the BJP, stating, “The SP is under maximum scrutiny from the BJP. In 2019, I received notices in some matters during the Lok Sabha elections. Now, as elections approach again, I am receiving notices.” “I am aware that when elections are imminent, notices will also arrive. Why this anxiety? If you (BJP) have achieved a lot in the past 10 years, why the nervousness?” he questioned.

Naiteek Bhatt