E-Paper
TN minister Ponmudy appears before ED in illegal red sand mining case
Tamil Nadu forest minister K Ponmudy on Tuesday recorded his statement with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Chennai an official in the know of the matter said.
Tamil Nadu forest minister K Ponmudy on Tuesday recorded his statement with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Chennai an official in the know of the matter said.
The case relates to an alleged illegal sand mining case when Ponmudy was the minister for mines in the previous DMK regime. His statement was recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). “He appeared before the ED today,” the official said.
In July last year, the ED had questioned Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamnai, an MP from Kallakurichi district and their family members. Ponmudy represents the Tirukkoyilur assembly seat in Villupuram district. The ED said that its probe in this case revolves around an “alleged issuance of red sand mining licences at five locations illegally by Ponmudy, who was the minister for mines” between 2007 and 2011.
The ED had also said that Ponmudi had issued illegal licences for red sand mining to his son, relatives and some benami holders, and that a huge amount of hawala funds generated from this mining business was used to purchase companies abroad.
“The proceeds obtained from illegal mining were deposited in benami accounts and were layered through multiple transactions and accounts,” the agency said in a statement last year.
“Red earth was extracted illegally beyond the permitted limits to the tune of ₹25.7 crore and the sale proceeds were invested in the overseas entity.” At the time chief minister MK Stalin had then said that the action was a “political vendetta of the Union BJP government”. In July, the federal agency had attached assets worth more than ₹14 crore in the case.
