Jaipur, Jan 13 (NationPress) The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has initiated legal action against officials from the Mining (Mineral) Department, along with crusher owners and royalty contractors, for allegedly facilitating illegal mining activities that resulted in a significant loss of revenue for the state government by deceitfully presenting illegal mining as legitimate.

This case was launched after a preliminary investigation by the ACB Outpost in Bharatpur under the directive of the ACB Headquarters in Jaipur. The investigation commenced following a complaint that outlined extensive irregularities in mining operations within the Bharatpur area.

The allegations suggest that officials and staff members from the Bharatpur Mining Department, in collusion with private crusher owners and royalty contractors, misappropriated permits meant for inactive or closed mines to enable illegal mining operations. These permits were reportedly exploited to transport and process minerals extracted unlawfully, falsely categorizing them as legally mined resources, thus evading royalty payments and other dues owed to the government.

During the initial inquiry, the ACB uncovered preliminary evidence implicating numerous public officials and private entities in these unlawful activities.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the ACB noted, "The individuals implicated include Ramniwas Mangal, who was the Mining Engineer in Bharatpur and is currently serving in Kota; Virendra Kumar, Mining Supervisor-II; Rajendra Singh, a former Mining Engineer; Sanju Singh, a previous Surveyor; and Bhim Singh, a former Supervisor-I. Alongside these departmental officials, the inquiry also identified lease owner Abhishek Tanwar, crusher owner JP & Brass, M/s Paras Infra, M/s CDS Infra, M/s Balaji & Company, Shubh Labh Stone Crusher, and royalty contractor M/s Dev Dashrath, among others involved."

The investigation disclosed that the accused collectively engaged in large-scale illegal mining operations, extracting millions of tonnes of mineral resources. By manipulating permits and falsifying documentation, the illicitly mined materials were misrepresented as legal, leading to a considerable financial detriment to the state treasury.

The misconduct exhibited by officials from the Mining Department and private individuals indicates a clear abuse of their official positions and a criminal conspiracy, as stated by the ACB.

Based on the findings from the preliminary investigation, the ACB has filed a case under the applicable sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Further investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the illegal mining activities, assess the revenue losses, identify additional beneficiaries, and enforce strict legal measures against all individuals implicated in this matter, according to the statement.