Judge Refuses To Hear Mining Scam Petition, Says BJP MLA Tried To Influence

In a stunning disclosure that has shaken Madhya Pradesh's corridors of power, the High Court has put on record what is usually whispered behind closed doors: That a ruling party MLA tried to sway the bench. Justice Vishal Mishra, in an order dated September 1, refused to hear a petition on illegal mining, bluntly saying "Sanjay Pathak has tried to discuss a particular matter (mining companies of Pathak family) with me, so I am not willing to consider this writ petition".

The candid remark dropped like a bombshell in the courtroom, leaving lawyers and litigants stunned. 

For the first time, a sitting judge admitted that a legislator from the ruling party directly approached him in a case that strikes at the heart of Madhya Pradesh's mining mafia-politics nexus.

The case was filed by Katni resident Ashutosh Manu Dixit in June 2025, demanding action against companies linked to Pathak's family. He alleged that despite repeated complaints to the Economic Offences Wing, no steps were taken.

But just days after his plea reached the High Court, the state's Mineral Department slapped a jaw-dropping Rs 443 crore fine on three companies tied to the Pathak family -- Anand Mining Corporation, Nirmala Minerals, and Pacific Exports. The probe, based on satellite imagery and data from the Indian Bureau of Mining, confirmed large-scale illegal excavation in Jabalpur's Sihora tehsil.

Even Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, in a written reply during Assembly Question Hour on August 6, said, "Mining beyond approved limits has taken place".

In his written reply, the Chief Minister said Anand Mining Corporation, Nirmala Minerals, and Pacific Exports carried out mining in excess of the approved limits in Sihora, Jabalpur. Despite this, an amount of Rs 1,000 crore was not deposited with the government.

The complaint in this regard was filed by Ashutosh Manu Dixit with the EOW on January 31, 2025. 

Acting on the complaint, the Madhya Pradesh Mineral Resources Department constituted an investigation team on April 23. 

The team submitted its report to the government on June 6, in which a recovery of over Rs 443.04 crore was determined against the three mining companies. The government clarified that the recovery of GST on this amount will be decided separately, and action is being taken on the basis of the investigation report.

But this is not the only cloud hanging over the BJP MLA. Ex minister Pathak also faces accusations of a sweetheart deal with the scandal-hit Sahara Group. 

According to Samajwadi Party state president Dr. Manoj Yadav, Mr Pathak acquired 310 acres of Sahara's land in Bhopal, Jabalpur and Katni for just Rs 90 crore, while its market value touched Rs 1,000 crore. 

Worse, he allegedly evaded stamp duty by registering residential land as agricultural. The EOW has already opened a preliminary inquiry.

Sanjay Pathak, the MLA from Vijayraghavgarh, is no small fry. Son of late Congress minister Satendra Pathak, he began his political career with the Congress. After the party's defeat in 2013, he jumped ship to the BJP -- a move widely seen as an attempt to shield his sprawling mining empire.

Pathak's companies insist they have been in the mining trade for 70 years "without a single complaint of royalty or tax evasion." They accuse investigators of preparing a "flawed report without site inspection."

But the state government is standing by its findings. The recovery figure of Rs 443.48 crore plus GST is based on satellite evidence.