RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, May 13: The Jharkhand High Court today expressed its concern over the state government’s attempt to underestimate the matter of mining lease issuance in the name of the chief minister.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and Justice S.N.Prasad, while hearing the PIL in this regard , observed that the Ranchi deputy commissioner had filed an affidavit in the matter related to the mining department involving the chief minister of Jharkhand.
The court verbally observed that it had expected some responsible officer of the mining department to file an affidavit in the matter but a deputy commissioner has filed an affidavit and questioned how come Ranchi DC has information about the mining department. The court verbally also observed that cases of illegal mining often come to its knowledge.
Before the observation of the court, the advocate appearing on behalf of enforcement directorate Tushar Mehta informed the court about its recent action in Jharkhand. On which the high court directed him to file a report in this regard before the Registrar General of the High Court.
Earlier, senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing on behalf of the state government raised the question on the maintainability of the PIL citing several orders of the Supreme Court and urged the court to dismiss the petition.
After hearing the matter in part, the court deferred the hearing in the matter till May 17 saying that it will hear the matter related to the shell companies and issuance of mining lease allotment in the name of the chief minister jointly.
