CHENNAI: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday condemned the Tamil Nadu government for allegedly rejecting the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) request to register an FIR and conduct an investigation into the alleged Rs 4,730-crore river sand mining scam in the state. In a press statement, Anbumani said, “In TN, large-scale illegal sand mining is so evident that even children are aware of it. It is highly condemnable that the government has refused to permit an investigation into such a massive scam.”
He recalled that based on information about illegal sand mining and the unlawful transfer of several thousand crores earned through it, the ED had conducted raids in September 2023 across 28 sand quarries in five districts. Using satellite data, the agency reportedly found that 22.7 lakh units of sand worth Rs 4,730 crore had been illegally mined. However, during an inquiry, the state government claimed that only sand worth Rs 36 crore had been quarried. The ED’s findings showed the actual quantity was 131 times higher and that sand was mined across 987 hectares. The ED submitted all evidence to the DGP on June 13, 2024, seeking filing of a case, but no action was taken, he said.
