GS-4 · Case Studies Based on Individual Morality

The Supreme Court has banned mining in the Aravalli Hills to stop degradation of the forest cover and to maintain ecological balance. However, the stone mining is still prevalent in the border district of the affected State with the connivance of certain corrupt forest officials and politicians. A young and dynamic SP who was recently posted in the affected district promised to himself to stop this menace. In one of his surprise checks with his team, he found a loaded truck with stone trying to escape the mining area. He tried to stop the truck but the truck driver overran the police officer, killing him on the spot and thereafter managed to flee. Police filed an FIR but achieved nothing in the case for almost three months. Ashok, who was an Investigative Journalist working with a leading TV channel, suo moto started investigating the case. Within one month, Ashok got a breakthrough by interacting with local people, stone mining mafia and government officials. He prepared his investigative story and presented it to the CMD of the TV channel. He exposed in his investigative report the complete nexus of the stone mafia working with the blessing of corrupt police and civil officials and politicians. The politician who was involved in the mafia was no one else but the local MLA who was considered to be very close to the Chief Minister. After going through the investigative report, the CMD advised Ashok to drop the idea of making the story public through electronic media. He informed that the local MLA was not only the relative of the owner of the TV channel but also had unofficially 20 percent share in the channel. The CMD further informed Ashok that his further promotion and hike in pay will be taken care of; in addition, the soft loan of 10 lakhs which he has taken from the TV channel for his son’s chronic disease will be suitably adjusted if he hands over the investigative report to him. 1) What are the options available with Ashok to cope up with the situation? 2) Critically evaluate/examine each of the options identified by Ashok. 3) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Ashok? 4) Which of the options, do you think, would be the most appropriate for Ashok to adopt and why? 5) In the above scenario, what type of training would you suggest for police officers posted to such districts where stone mining illegal activities are rampant?