Lease transfer: Government takes possession of mine

JAIPUR: Mining department of Rajasthan has taken possession of a mine for "illegally" purchasing it from a company that belongs to four brothers who were booked by Anti-Corruption Bureau in August this year for the lease transfer.

The Ultra Tech cement has allegedly illegally purchased the mine from Gotan Limestone Khanji Udyog Pvt Ltd.

"The department took the possession of the mining area in Gotan from the company yesterday. The area was illegally purchased by the company," Manish Verma, Mining Engineer-Nagaur said here today.

He informed that the mine was located in 10 sq km area near Gotan town in Nagaur and will remain with the department.

In August this year, the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed an FIR against the Mines Department, former shareholders of Gotan Limestone Khanji Udyog Pvt Ltd and directors of UltraTech Cement for alleged illegal transfer of a limestone mine in Gotan area in Nagaur district in 2012.

The FIR was filed on a complaint by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya against former shareholders of Gotan Limestone Khanji Udyog Pvt Ltd Ram Vallabh Chauhan, Suresh Chauhan, Ramesh Chauhan and Ram Avtar Chauhan, its present directors CK Birla, R Mohnot and M B Aggarwal, the Director of Mines and Geology and other concerned officials of the department, an ACB official had said.

The matter is related to the mine lease which was initially allotted to partnership firm Gotan Limestone Khanij Udyog.

Its partners formed a private limited company in March 2012 and got the lease transferred, despite the rule that lease of natural resources cannot be transferred or sold or sub-leased, under political influence during the previous regime, complainant Somaiya had alleged in his complaint submitted in May this year.

"After the lease was transferred, the company sold its stake to UltraTech in August 2012. The four shareholders (Chauhan brothers) resigned and three directors of the UtraTech (CK Birla, R Mohnot and M B Aggarwal) Cement took over.

"This way, the lease was sold to UltraTech Cement under a conspiracy and the Mines department officials facilitated it," Somaiya alleged.

The ACB has registered the case after they came across major lapses in the lease transfer and apparent complicity of the mines department officials.