HC notice to UP minister on illegal sand mining charge

The Allahabad High Court today issued notice to Minister of State for Secondary Education and SP MLA Vinod Kumar Singh alias Pandit Singh in connection with alleged illegal sand mining in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh.

The court also directed the District Magistrate, Gonda, to conduct an inquiry in this connection and submit a report.

The Lucknow bench of the high court comprising Justice V K Shukla and Justice Aditya Natha Mittal passed the order on a PIL filed by a social worker alleging that Pandit Singh is involved in ongoing illegal mining of sand in Gonda near Lucknow-Gonda Railway line, which poses a serious danger to train passengers.
 

According petitioner's counsel Prince Lenin, directions were sought for an independent inquiry into the matter and stopping the illegal mining forthwith.