Uttar Pradesh Mining Minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was sacked on Monday for allegedly promoting illegal mining in the state, PTI reported. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav took the step a day after the Allahabad High Court rejected the state government's petition to set aside a previous order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into the allegations.

According to the news agency report, a senior officer said, "The Chief Minister has sacked Gayatri Prajapati and a letter for the same has been sent to Raj Bhavan." On July 28, the court asked the investigating agency to take up the case and investigate the role of the government and its officials in facilitating illegal mining.

The Opposition dismissed the development as a gimmick on the part of the Samajwadi Party government. Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi said,"Illegal mining is rampant in the state and it is an open secret that he was promoting it. Now when the HC has taken serious view of the matter and ordered CBI probe, the CM's decision is mere an eyewash. It will not help as people know the reality." Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, "Our party has been raising the matter of illegal mining in the state. The decision should have been taken earlier."