THOOTHUKUDI: For alleged illegal mining and export of beach sand minerals, including monazite, between 2000 and 2017 in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered seven FIRs against six mining companies and 21 people, including a few government officials.
The agency’s actions follow the Madras High Court directing a CBI probe on February 17 and ordering the mining companies to pay a penalty of Rs 5,832.29 crore on account of cost of minerals and royalty.
The FIRs, accessed by TNIE, revealed that the agency has invoked various provisions of IPC, MMDR Act, Atomic Energy Act, and Prevention of Corruption Act, against the firms and their directors. Though public servants were added in all but one FIR, their names were not mentioned.
The CBI has booked V V Minerals managing director V Vaikundarajan, who held 34 mining leases in three districts, for causing Rs 3,581.11-crore loss. Indian Ocean Garnet Sands Company Pvt Ltd, Transworld Garnet India Pvt Ltd, Beach Minerals Company Pvt Ltd and Industrial Minerals India Pvt Ltd were among the companies named in the FIRs, along with their top executives, for not paying a sum ranging between Rs 82.5 crore and Rs 921.69 crore.
The CBI said they are probing allegations of collusion between the firms and the officials. A top official source said no incriminating document was recovered during the agency’s recent search at 12 locations related to the accused in the three districts.