October 17, 2026 – Cracking down on the illegal extraction and transportation of minor minerals, the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against two senior mining officials and several private operators operating in the Udhampur and Reasi districts.
The accused are facing severe allegations ranging from the manipulation of electronic challans and overcharging, to blatant illegal mining and operating beyond permissible limits.
According to an official statement issued by the ACB, FIR No. 09/2026 has been lodged at the ACB Police Station in Udhampur. The primary accused public servants named in the FIR include Rajeev Jammu (Assistant Mining Engineer and District Mining Officer, Udhampur) and Rameshwar Sangra (District Mining Officer, Reasi). Among the private individuals booked is Swaran Singh Rathore, alongside several other private mining and stone crusher operators. The case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended, and other applicable laws.
During the preliminary investigation, the ACB uncovered a nexus between certain public servants and private operators. Allegations suggest that these stone crusher and mining operators were extracting minor minerals well beyond the government-notified permissible limits and continuing their mining activities even after their lease validity had expired.
Furthermore, operators were allegedly found to be charging market rates substantially higher than the officially notified tariffs. A significant part of the scam involved the manipulation and misuse of the mandatory ‘e-challan’ system and the continued operation of stone crusher units despite the expiration of their ‘Consent to Operate’ (CTO) certificates. The agency stated that these illegal activities were actively facilitated by the accused government officials in connivance with the private operators.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has launched a full-scale investigation to ascertain the specific individual roles of the accused, calculate the exact volume of illegal extraction and transportation, and assess the total financial loss inflicted upon the government exchequer.
In connection with the FIR, the ACB has already initiated synchronized searches across various residential and commercial premises belonging to the accused, and further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
Published by True Roots Media Network