Sand mining scandal: Enforcement Directorate raids 3 dozen sites in TN

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out raids at over three dozen locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with its ongoing money laundering probe in the sand mining scandal.

The raids took place at the sand mining sites, sales depots and the offices and residences of sand mining contractors at several locations, including Vellore, Chennai, Dindigul, Tiruchi, Karur and Pudukottai, etc.

Those under the federal agency's scanner include industrialists S Ramachandran and Dindigul Rathinam, who hold sand mining licences.

The ED had launched a money laundering probe after allegations of substantial tax evasion by the sand mining industry had surfaced.

It is alleged that while sand was officially sold online with an e-receipt provided at the sand mining depots, there were significant offline sales of sand that weren't consistently recorded.