Illegal Sand Mining Case: 5 Tamil Nadu District Collectors Appear Before ED

Chennai: Five district collectors from Tamil Nadu responded to summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding an investigation into alleged illegal sand mining.

The scam, estimated to be worth several thousand crores, allegedly involved exceeding permitted mining limits in the districts of Ariyalur, Karur, Thanjavur, Trichy, and Vellore.

The ED investigation follows raids conducted across these districts, where authorities used drones for aerial surveys and confiscated documents linked to a suspected sand mining syndicate. The raids stemmed from FIRs filed in various police stations across the state regarding illegal sand mining activities.

The five district collectors who appeared before the ED include Anne Mary Swarn (Ariyalur), Thangavel (Karur), Deepak Jacob (Thanjavur), Pradeep Kumar (Trichy), and Subbulakshmi (Vellore). The ED is expected to question them regarding permits issued to companies involved in sand mining operations within their respective districts.

As part of their ongoing investigation, the ED has attached assets valued at Rs 130 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This action indicates potential financial crimes associated with illegal sand mining activities.