Allahabad: In a big jolt to Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has directed to suspend two former district magistrates of Rampur - one being the favourite officer of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath - in connection with illegal mining.
A division bench comprised of the Chief Justice Dilip Babasaheb Bhosle and Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta has directed suspension of the then DMs of Rampur Rajiv Rautela and Rakesh Kumar Singh who are currently been posted as DM of Gorakhpur, the home district of CM Yogi, and Kanpur Dehat respectively.
The order was passed on a Public Interest petition filed by one Maqsood from Dadiyal in the Rampur district seeking action in connection with mining and storage licence to a tainted contractor Nanhe despite Court's order against it in 2015. The court in its last hearing had heard the present DM of Rampur who had stated the matter was related during the regime of Rautela and Singh.
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Fuming over ignoring the Court order, the High Court bench ordered state government to suspend the officials and initiate departmental proceedings against them and report back by January 16 next. The Court also asked to fix responsibilities of other administrative and police officials and punish them.
It may be recalled that Rajiv Rautela had earlier escaped action in the infamous children's death in BRD Medical College at Gorakhpur. His proximity to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is being debated in the official and administrative circles since then.
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