ED Asks Water Resources Department For Details Of Cases Registered Against Illegal Sand Mining In Tamil Nadu: Report

Continuing its probe into illegal sand mining in the state, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has written to the Water Resources Department seeking details of all such cases filed in the state, according to a report by The Hindu.

After the statewide raids on 12 September, in which the ED seized materials like fake receipts, QR codes, hard discs and documents, officials from the central agency had conducted a physical inspection of sand mining yards with the assistance of engineers from the department to ascertain the quantum of illegal sand mining.

As per the report, A Muthaiya, the engineer-in-chief and chief engineer general of the Water Resources Department, has written to 13 District Collectors, asking them to send details of complaints and FIRs registered from 1 January 2022 to 12 September 2023, so that they could be submitted to the ED.

The details sought by the ED include the details of the contractors for 25 sand quarries like their bank accounts, PAN numbers, details of online sales, names of customers, payments to contractors, number of trips made by trucks, invoices raised, quantum of sand mined and transported to sand yards etc.

In a statement after the raids, the ED stated, "Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out searches at 34 locations including 8 sand mining yards on 12/09/2023 in 6 districts of Tamil Nadu, residential and business premises of various persons including S. Ramachandran, K. Rathinam, Karikalan and their accomplices, Auditor P. Shanmugaraj and officials of Water Resources Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu in illegal sand mining case.

"ED initiated investigation on basis of FIRs registered in various parts of Tamil Nadu disclosing allegations about huge illegal mining of river sand and gravel quarry etc. Numerous complaints have been registered with Law Enforcement Agencies, highlighting illegal mining practices rampant across Tamil Nadu.

"During the search incriminating documents including diaries, bogus fake sale receipts with counterfeit QR code were found suggestive of illegal sand sales. Evidences of bogus transactions, benami companies were found. During the search, Rs. 12.82 Crore was put under freeze and unaccounted cash for Rs. 2.33 Crore was seized along with gold weighing 1024.6 grams worth Rs 56.86 Lakh."

Also Read: Tamil Nadu: Modus Operandi Of Illegal Sale Of Sand And Tax Evasion Emerges After ED Raids