SIKAR: A massive illegal stone mining operation has been exposed in the Sikar district of Rajasthan, causing a staggering loss of ₹132 crore to the state exchequer. The investigation, spearheaded by Expose Now, reveals how mining mafias operating under the nose of the Mining Department systematically plundered natural resources across 13 major mines.
Drone Technology Exposes the Fraud
The scale of the corruption was brought to light using advanced drone mapping technology and DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) devices. While official government records showed a total extraction of 61.74 lakh tons of stone, the drone survey and digital terrain models revealed a shocking reality: nearly 1.28 crore tons of stone had actually been excavated.
This leaves an unaccounted gap of 66.36 lakh tons—a direct theft of state property valued at approximately ₹132 crore in lost revenue.
From Mountains to 95-Meter Deep Craters
The illegal activity was concentrated in the Meena ki Nangal area, located near the Rajasthan-Haryana border. The ecological impact is devastating; areas that once featured mountains 20 meters high have been transformed into dangerous, hollowed-out pits reaching depths of 95 meters. The mafia reportedly violated all safety and depth regulations across a 13-hectare expanse.
Accountability and Bureaucratic Silence
The investigation points to a long-standing nexus between contractors and department officials. The illegal extraction has been ongoing since 2014, spanning the tenures of several mining engineers and assistant engineers, including:
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- J.P. Jakhar (Former Mining Engineer)
- Anil Gupta (Assistant Mining Engineer)
- Subsequent officers such as Manoj Sharma, Dharam Singh Meena, and Amichand Duharia.
Despite the blatant disregard for mining leases (specifically lease numbers 102/2002, 71/2002, and 63/2002), no significant corrective action was taken for years.
The Road Ahead: Recovery or Cover-up?
Under standard mining laws, illegal extraction should trigger heavy penalties based on the current market rate of the minerals stolen. Furthermore, large-scale theft of government property is a criminal offense that warrants the filing of FIRs against the leaseholders.
Current Assistant Mining Engineer (AME) Ashok Verma stated that drone survey reports have been requested from the mine owners, and strict action will be initiated if discrepancies are confirmed. However, Expose Now raises a critical question: Will this be a genuine recovery mission to return ₹132 crore to the public treasury, or will the matter be buried through administrative collusion?
