Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Nov 6: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday conducted simultaneous searches at 30 locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with alleged irregularities in river sand mining. The searches are linked to allegations of large-scale illegal mining and revenue losses amounting to thousands of crores of rupees.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which investigated the case in 2023, had estimated that river sand worth Rs 4,730 crore was illegally sold.

Earlier, the ED had conducted simultaneous searches at 34 locations, including eight sand mining yards, across six districts. The searches covered the residential and business premises of several businessmen and their associates. Premises of officials from the Water Resources Department were also searched as part of the investigation into alleged illegal mining and money laundering.

The ED initiated its investigation based on multiple FIRs registered across Tamil Nadu alleging large-scale illegal mining of river sand and gravel. One of the cases was linked to the murder of Murappanadu Village Administrative Officer Lourdhu Francis, who was killed in his office in Thoothukudi district in April 2023.

The agency had alleged that private individuals were granted unauthorised access to sand stockyards and sold sand without official permission. Fake receipts carrying counterfeit QR codes and purportedly issued in the name of the Tamil Nadu government and the Water Resources Department were allegedly used to facilitate the sales.

The ED also conducted a scientific assessment with the assistance of experts from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and IIT-Kanpur. The investigation reportedly revealed extensive illegal mining and sales, resulting in substantial revenue losses to the Centre and the State through alleged evasion of GST and income tax.