The Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI took action in an alleged illegal mining case in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district on Wednesday. A team reached Amro village in the Talwara area and later visited the mining department’s office on Tanda Road in Hoshiarpur.
The court flagged concerns over extensive ecological destruction and possible collusion by state authorities. It asked the agency to identify those responsible and ensure accountability. The action follows a September 18 order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the agency to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations of rampant illegal mining in Hoshiarpur.
The case has renewed scrutiny of Punjab’s mining regulatory framework and allegations of official complicity. It is the second case from the state handed over to the CBI by the High Court this year. The allegations, however, remain subject to investigation, and the responsibility needs to be established through probe.
