CBI raids former minister Jayanthi Natarajan, FIR alleges abuse of power

New Delhi/Chennai: The CBI on Saturday conducted searches at the residence of former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan after registering a case of corruption against her.

Ms Natarajan has been accused of abuse of power and conspiracy for approving diversion of forest land for a mining project in Jharkhand in 2012 as MoS for environment and forests.

The CBI has registered an FIR against Ms Natrajan for the alleged violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act. Umang Kejriwal, the then MD of the Sundergarh, Odisha, based-mining firm Electrosteel Casting Limited (ECL), the company and some unidentified persons have also been named in the FIR.

Ms Natarajan, 63, was environment minister between 2011 and 2013 in the Manmohan Singh government when she sanctioned the project for mining of iron and manganese inside the core zone of Singhbum Elephant Reserve.

Sources said Ms Natarajan, who quit the Congress in 2015, is abroad and will return “very shortly”. She is not with any political party at the moment.