50 teams are inspecting locations across the state, including those linked to industrialists S Ramachandran and Dindigul Rathinam.
More than 50 teams of officials raided more than 40 locations across 25 locations in Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Salem, Karur, Dindigul and Pudukottai districts based on the allegations of money laundering in the sale of sand.
In a major crackdown on the sand mafia, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched massive search operations at more than 40 locations across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, 12 September.
Over 50 teams are involved in the searches across the state, including locations in Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Salem, Karur, Dindigul, and Pudukottai districts, based on allegations of money laundering.
The ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and searched even government sand depots.
Sources said that ED officials were searching the properties of industrialists S Ramachandran and Dindigul Rathinam, who hold sand mining licences in Tamil Nadu. CRPF personnel were providing security to the ED officials.
Ramachandran’s properties at Pudukottai and his office and residence at Vallathirakottai were inspected.
The properties of Rathinam, who is said to be close to Minister Senthil V Balaji, at Dindigul and Karur, were also checked. Ramachandran, who was close to sand mining baron Shekar Reddy, was raided by the CBI in 2016.
Further, the ED sleuths inspected the properties of one Karikalan, who takes care of the sand distribution for northern Tamil Nadu, in Chennai, Dindigul, and Pudukottai.
Engineers attached to the Public Works Department (PWD) and Water Resources Department (WRD) were also under the ED scanner. Propertoes of PWD Engineer Muthusamy, and WRD Executive Engineer Podhupani Thilagam were also inspected.
The ED has seized several incriminating documents related to the storage and sales of sand from various depots.
Durai Murugan, General Secretary of the ruling DMK, holds the mining portfolio in the MK Stalin-led state government and most of the sand quarries are under the PWD handled by Minister EV Velu.
In Tamil Nadu, it is mandatory for customers whose building plans are approved to book river sand. The sand may be booked online and also can be purchased by paying cash at special bank extension counters.
According to sources, though the government had fixed the basic cost of river sand at ₹1,000 per unit, government depots were selling sand without proper billing.
“The sand brokers, who are being raided now are entrusted to sell sand. They sell sand illegally above the market price without proper billing and the cash thus gained was routed to an important and senior minister in the Cabinet,” a source told South First.
Further, there is a provision that the person booking the sand should provide the registration number of the vehicles and it will be verified by the WRD during delivery. But it is not strictly followed, the source said.
It is to be noted that the quarries and depots are under CCTV surveillance, but at several quarries, the cameras are not functioning.
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