Allegations of police-mining mafia nexus: HC asks Panchkula police commissioner to appear in court on March 3

The Punjab and Haryana high court has summoned Panchkula police commissioner Rakesh Kumar Arya to appear in court on March 3, expressing shock over the alleged collusion between senior police officers and the mining mafia. The court also said that the police are attempting to stifle the investigation into the case which cannot be permitted.

Justice NS Shekhawat, while hearing a civil writ petition against the State of Haryana, noted that serious allegations had been raised regarding the involvement of senior police officials in the illegal mining racket. The case was registered on November 27, 2024, at Chandimandir police station under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Mining Act.

The court observed that while 82 individuals were implicated, only 69 had been questioned so far and no arrests had been made. “The investigation has failed to make any headway, raising concerns about deliberate attempts to shield high-ranking officials,” the court remarked.

“From the perusal of the allegations levelled in the FIR, it is apparent that serious allegations have been levelled by the complainant regarding collusion between the accused, the mining mafia, and very senior officers of the Haryana police. The investigation in the present case has not made any headway and rather it appears that every attempt is being made to screen the senior police officers,” the court asserted.

The court added that initially an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) was assigned to the case, but the investigation was later handed over to a deputy commissioner of police (DCP). Despite this, the probe has shown little progress.

Taking serious note of the matter, the court ordered the impleadment of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a respondent in the case. Advocate Prateek Gupta, appearing for the CBI, accepted the notice on behalf of the agency.