CHENNAI: District collectors of Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Vellore, Karur, and Ariyalur appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Chennai on Thursday after they were summoned afresh by the central agency to appear for inquiry related to a money laundering case linked to illegal sand mining in Tamil Nadu.
The collectors — Pradeep Kumar (Tiruchy), Deepak Jacob (Thanjavur), VR Subbulaxmi (Vellore), M Thangavel (Karur) and J Anne Mary Swarna (Ariyalur) — arrived at the ED office at 11am and were questioned for over 10 hours. The development comes after the Supreme Court reprimanded the collectors for failing to appear before the ED and directed them to personally appear before the agency on April 25.
The collectors were first summoned by the ED last year after it raided sand quarries at 34 locations in TN. The state government moved the Madras High Court against the ED summons and the court stayed them last November, calling it a fishing expedition by the ED. The ED challenged the HC order in the Supreme Court, arguing that non-cooperation would impede its investigation.
Excavators deployed beyond permitted area: ED report
The Supreme Court later suspended the HC order. A report prepared by an ED expert team had flagged excessive and illegal sand mining. Following an examination of all sand quarries in Tamil Nadu, a report prepared by our team has highlighted instances of excessive and illegal sand mining over and above the volume documented in the state government’s records, ED said in February.
Analysis of geo-fencing reports submitted by the manufacturers of excavators utilized in illegal sand mining also revealed that the excavators were predominantly deployed beyond permitted quarry area, ED said. The agency initiated investigation under PMLA Act of 2002 based on various FIRs filed in Tamil Nadu indicating widespread unauthorised sand mining along the riverbeds.
The investigation revealed that Shanmugam Ramachandran, Karuppaiah Rethinam, and Pannerselvam Karikalan, along with associates, had formed a syndicate and set a network of companies. These entities were found to be engaged in illicit sand mining activities.