Fine of Rs 25.66 cr on mother of ex-MLA

Tonk: The mother of Congress leader and former MLA Prashant Bairwa has been found guilty of illegal mining after which the mines department has issued a demand notice of more than Rs 25.66 crore.

The department issued a notice in the name of Ashalata Devi, mother of Bairwal. It is alleged that about 1,90,114.38 metric tons of stone was illegally mined. Questions are being raised on the notice which was given barely a few months after change in the government. After Prashant Bairwa’s name came up in the case, Tonk Mineral Department officials were also avoiding speaking openly.

Illegal mining of quartz stone continued for a long time under the nose of the department but soon after the change in the government, the officials issued the notice. There is a quartz stone mine in the demarcated area of about 4.5 hectares in the Baroni, Tonk in name of Ashalata. Govt suffered revenue loss due to mining outside demarcated area.

“If the amount is not deposited in 30 days of the notice period, the lease can be canceled,”, Sohanlal Suthar mining department official said in Tonk.