Madhya Pradesh HC judge says BJP MLA contacted him, recuses himself from hearing illegal mining case

“Mr Sanjay Pathak has made an attempt to call me to have a discussion regarding this particular matter. Therefore, I am not inclined to entertain this Writ petition,” Justice Mishra said.

He recused from the case and ordered that the matter be placed before the Chief Justice of the High Court for listing before another Bench.

“Let the matter be placed before the Hon’ble Chief Justice for listing the matter before the appropriate Bench for consideration,” the court said.

The case is related to a Writ petition filed in the High Court seeking action against those accused of illegal mining.

A man named Ashutosh Dixit had approached the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal, levelling allegations regarding the matter. In January, he moved the High Court, alleging inaction on the part of EOW. Dixit argued that the EOW failed to conclude a preliminary enquiry within a time-bound period.

In the petition, he accused companies linked to Pathak and his family of excessive mining of iron ore and other minerals.

Pathak, who had served as the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises during the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in 2016, filed an application before the High Court, seeking to intervene in the matter and seeking that he be heard too.

He has not responded The Indian Express’s calls and messages seeking his comment on the matter.