Illegal mining: Modi govt minister sentenced to 3 years in jail - Hindustan Times

Gujarat agriculture and irrigation minister Babu Bokhiria on Saturday was found guilty of illegal mining of lime stone in Porbandar district. Bokhiria, a Porbandar MLA, and three others have been convicted and sentenced to three years of imprisonment by a local court in Porbandar. Besides Bokhiria, ex-MP of Porbandar and one of his relative, Bharat Odedara are also among the convicts. In 2006-07, district administration of Porbandar had unearthed a mining racket involving several firms including Bokhiria's, which had carried out illegal mining of lime stone and had evaded the government royalty to the tune of more than Rs. 100 crore. The administration had filed several cases, this being the first in which the accused are convicted. After the district administration's drive against illegal mining and political nexus, the Narendra Modi government had transferred the then Porbandar collector HN Chhibber, who had launched the drive against limestone mining. In 2007, Bokhiria was arrested and jailed for five months and had subsequently got bail. Facing a number of criminal cases including illegal mining and others, Bokhiria is close aide of chief minister Narendra Modi. In the last assembly polls, Bokhiria defeated state Congress president Arjun Modhvadia from Porbandar assembly seat. via Top Stories - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHvdWBVQWEfc-kmka0lQSJ9bv9X1w&url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/ahmedabad/Illegal-mining-Modi-govt-minister-sentenced-to-3-years-in-jail/Article1-1076752.aspx

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