Maths teacher emerges as MP’s ‘Sand Mafia Queen’:Undercover probe reveals her private grip over govt checkpoints; admits illegal business extends to 23 districts

In Madhya Pradesh, a school teacher has surpassed even major sand mafias in the illegal sand trade. Without her approval, not a single sand dumper is allowed to pass through the roads. The teacher’s name is Pratibha Rai, who teaches Mathematics at a government school in Kirrod, a small village in Bina, Sagar district. Along with teaching children, Pratibha Rai is said to control the illegal sand business across the entire district. No action despite clear awareness Whether it is allowing vehicles to pass through mineral checkpoints or operating illegal sand mines, she appears to run everything. She claims to be linked with a private company involved in sand mining. Her employees are posted at mineral checkpoints and allow vehicles to move only after checking them. What is striking is that officials of the Mining Department are aware of this, yet take no action. To expose the entire syndicate, the Bhaskar team conducted a 20-day undercover operation in Ashok Nagar, Mungaoli, Sagar, Bina, and Khurai. Reporters posed at times as dumper drivers and at times as helpers to uncover every layer of this nexus. The investigation revealed how this teacher, with the support of corrupt officials in the Mining Department and the police, is causing losses worth crores of rupees to the government by turning illegal work into legal and legal work into illegal. Read the report… Bhaskar reporter becomes dumper owner To get to the core of the syndicate, the team entered the network as a dumper owner. It was found that the Mining Department’s checkpoints exist only on paper. At these checkpoints, it is not government staff but private men loyal to teacher Pratibha Rai who are posted. They extort money from every passing dumper. If any dumper attempts to carry sand without “Madam’s” permission, the vehicle is seized and a fine running into lakhs is imposed. Mining Department officials are also part of this operation, taking a cut of Rs 5,000 per dumper. Bhaskar’s reporter himself drove a dumper to Pratibha Rai’s checkpoints. Network controlling 17 checkpoints in Sagar uncovered When the reporter met Pratibha Rai, the alleged leader of the network, posing as a dumper owner, she openly described the operations of her illegal business. She not only admitted that all 17 mineral checkpoints in Sagar district were under her control, but also claimed that her sand business extends to 23 districts of the state. Reporter: When vehicles pass, people often stop them at mineral checkpoints. Pratibha Rai: No, we do not stop anyone like that. The checkpoints are ours, but if the royalty is valid, no one will stop them. They are stopped only if there is some issue. Maybe the royalty expired and you did not know. Every vehicle is recorded, and the register goes to the Collector. When the reporter said that her name or someone named Neeraj controls the checkpoints, she immediately agreed. Pratibha Rai: Yes, the checkpoints are ours. We have 17 in Sagar district… All these checkpoints are for preventing wrongdoing, not for stopping legal work. Pratibha also clarified that no one outside her syndicate can enter the trade. Reporter: I have a refinery tender that requires black sand from the Betwa. I want to load vehicles from there. Pratibha Rai: There is no open system for loading. You will have to take the material from us. We will also load the vehicles. Only listed vehicles are allowed at the mine. She even admitted, laughing, that the entire black sand business is illegal and that she is its owner. Reporter: How can we be supported? Pratibha Rai: For red sand, meaning Narmada sand, you need a work order — but not for black sand. Reporter: Why not for black sand? Pratibha Rai: (Laughing) We are the owners of black sand. No work order is needed for it. ‘Call me directly’ says mining officer Officers from the Mineral Department are also involved in this illegal trade. The team caught Sagar district’s Mining Inspector Sunil Kumar Uike and his private recovery agent Manohar Patel red-handed. The reporter contacted Manohar pretending to be a dumper owner. Manohar said that if the vehicle moved without being part of the “system”, a challan of Rs 15 lakh could be issued. Soon after, Mining Inspector Uike arrived at the spot and assured complete protection. He told the reporter: “Take my number and call me directly… Even if your royalty expires, there will be no issue. If anyone tries to seize your vehicle at a police station, we will get it released within two minutes.” Uike asked: “Who is she (Pratibha Rai)? We know her ways. She has a sand supply business too, and she doesn’t even provide M-sand. If there is any problem, tell Manohar; he stays with me 24 hours. Even if he isn’t there, we speak immediately. Give a missed call on my number 940XXXX648.” Bribe Rate Card: ‘Rs 5,000 per vehicle’ Towards the end of the conversation, when the reporter asked what needed to be done next, the inspector directed him to Manohar. Manohar openly revealed the bribe rate card. Manohar: I told you, Rs 5,000 per vehicle. Reporter: I will send it to you. Manohar: There is a lot of pressure right now. If possible, send it now. When the reporter said he would transfer the money by evening, Manohar offered to share his QR code. He also demanded Rs 1,000 each for himself and another colleague, apart from the inspector. ‘No written complaints received’, says DEO While Pratibha Rai claims to run a sand syndicate in 23 districts, records of Sagar District Education Officer Arvind Jain show that she attends school regularly. He said Pratibha is posted at the government school in Kirrod village in Bina, Sagar district. He said she attended school for 25 days in November. When told she was involved in the illegal sand business despite being a teacher, he replied: “That is what is heard.”