The Jharkhand High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Ramniwas Yadav, a 2015-batch IAS officer, for unlawfully revoking the mining lease of an operator while serving as the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sahibganj. The court deemed the cancellation of the mining lease illegal, stating that Yadav had no authority to terminate the lease before its due expiration.
The court’s ruling emphasized that the Deputy Commissioner overstepped his jurisdiction by canceling the lease, which was considered unlawful. The court further granted the petitioner the liberty to seek damages in a civil court for the suspension of mining activities, which had been halted since September 8, 2023.
Ramniwas Yadav, who served as the DC of Sahibganj from October 2020, is currently posted as the Director of Higher Education in the state. This judgment serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to legal procedures and the limitations of authority in administrative decisions.
