The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids in over 40 locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with cases related to local sand mafia. Sources told News18 that the searches are being done under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Sources confirmed that the cases are not related to minister Senthil Balaji. They said that ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (‘ECIR’).
As the initial news broke, there were discrepancies in the details. While a report in NDTV stated that industrialists S Ramachandran and Dindigul Rathinam, who hold sand mining licences, are on the probe agency’s radar, news agency IANS stated that Senthil Balaji’s name is cropping up too.
IANS report stated that the raids were being conducted at the residences and office premises of people who are close to the arrested minister in Coimbatore, Karur and Tiruchi.
Senthil Balaji is lodged in Puzhal central prison after he was arrested by the ED on June 14 after raids at his official residence and office in secretariat, it said.
Meanwhile, S Ramachandran is reportedly partner of sand mining baron Shekar Reddy. In 2016, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also conducted searches on his premises in Pudukottai.
A report in New Indian Express had then stated that Ramachandran was reportedly linked to ‘influential persons’ in Tamil Nadu, including politicians and bureaucrats.
Durai Murugan, whose name NDTV cited in Tuesday’s ED raid, is general secretary of the ruling DMK, and holds the mining portfolio in the MK Stalin-led state government.