Illegal mining: HC summons SBS Nagar DSP, puts mining director on notice

The court has taken serious note of the observation of a trial court in the matter that ‘it was very surprising that illegal mining at such a large-scale was going on in the area and entire state machinery was turning a blind eye’

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday put director, mining and geology, on notice on a plea from three people alleging false implication in a case of illegal mining registered by SBS Nagar police in May.

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The high court bench of justice HNS Gill also summoned SBS Nagar DSP for August 14 on the anticipatory bail pleas moved by accused Tarlochan Singh, Baljit Singh and Pankaj Kumar. The FIR was registered on May 26 under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1975, at Rahon police station in SBS Nagar.

The court impleaded the director as a party in the case and also asked him and SBS Nagar senior superintendent of police to file their affidavits to indicate the details, including the ownership of the vehicles impounded in the FIR in question. The petitioners have been given interim protection from arrest and asked to join investigation.

The court has taken serious note of the observation of a trial court in the matter that ‘it was very surprising that illegal mining at such a large-scale was going on in the area and entire state machinery was turning a blind eye’. “Rather it shows the active connivance of all those who were supposed to check it,” the trial court had observed in its order.