After a special team conducted a three-day search on the premises of PRP Exports at Therkutheru in Melur, Rs 10 lakh in cash, vital documentary evidence pertaining to the granite quarrying scam and 20 passports of the firm’s shareholders, including P Palanichamy, his sons P Suresh Kumar and P Senthil Kumar, and other relatives were seized, police said on Monday.
A pistol and eight bullets were also found and seized although Palanichamy produced a valid licence for the items.
The team led by DSP Thankavel, Melur tahsildar Vasantha Juliet and geology and mining department assistant director Arumuga Nainar, copied the 10,000 documents that were seized from the premises onto hard disks. The documents pertained to granite quarrying, polishing, exports records of the last 10 years, particulars of the staff and the annual turnover. The search commenced on November 8, following a direction from the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court.
After the operation concluded, police unsealed the premises of the PRP Exports and PRP Granite. However, officials said that the firm would not be allowed to carry out mining activities. But the factories would be allowed to continue operations, they added.
An officer said the firm would be allowed to carry out activities like polishing granite blocks that have not been sealed or seized,the officer further said.
The premises of the PRP Exports and PRP Granite were sealed on August 9 by the Revenue Department in the presence of collector Anshul Mishra and district police superintendent V Balakrishnan over alleged involvement in the multi-crore granite scam.