UP: Banda ASP suspended, DM shunted over unabated mining irregularities

JHANSI: Additional SP, Banda, Mahendra Pratap Singh Chauhan, was suspended on Tuesday late night while DM Anand Kumar Singh-II was shunted out over complaints of unchecked illegal mining activities in the district. Chauhan has been replaced by Laxmi Niwas Mishra, who was posted as assistant commandant, 2nd Battalion PAC, Sitapur while Anurag Patel has been given the charge of DM.
According to a late Tuesday night order issued by additional chief secretary Avinash Kumar Awasthi, it has been stated that a number of complaints have been received against Chauhan, who has been posted in Banda since June 2020, regarding extortion of money from mining mafias and allowing illegal entry of sand and mud-laden trucks from MP.
After a detailed enquiry by the Special Task Force (STF) of a particular mobile number endorsed in the name of one SP Singh, further facts regarding the matter were revealed. The order also mentioned that Chauhan had a tainted image since beginning and had been under question during his earlier postings too. He had been issued strict warning by DIG Banda range previously.
Local sources from Banda revealed to TOI that apart from illegal mining, Chauhan had also allegations against him of turning a blind eye towards gambling activities in the district while it was also observed that sale of drugs at various local pockets had also increased.