The Enforcement Directorate (ED) which has launched
a crackdown on sand mining mafia in Tamil Nadu by conduting raids at multiple
locations on September 12, has frozen Rs 12.82 crore and seized Rs 2.33 crore
unaccounted cash and 1,204.6 grams of gold worth more than Rs 50 lakhs.
The raids were held at 34 locations including eight sand mining yards in six
districts of the State in connection with illegal sand mining case.
In an update, ED said “it carried out searches at 34 locations including eight sand
mining yards on 12/09/2023 in 6 districts of Tamil Nadu, residential and business
premises of various persons including sand mining contractors S.Ramachandran,
K. Rathinam and Karikalan and their accomplices, Auditor P. Shanmugaraj, officials
of Water Resources Deptt, Govt. of Tamil Nadu in illegal sand mining case.”
“During the search, various incriminating documents were found, Rs 12.82 Cr. was
put under freeze & unaccounted cash for Rs 2.33 Crore, gold weighing 1024.6 grams
worth Rs 56.86 Lakh were seized”, the ED said.
Evidences of bogus transactions and benami companies were found during the
raids, it said, adding, the total amount of sand mined were also being ascertained
and the number of lorries used to carry the illegally mined sand were also being
analysed through the CCTV footages.
