Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has conducted searches at 30 locations in connection with an alleged river-sand mining scam, according to a report by Dinamalar on Friday, November 6. The searches, which began in the morning and were led by senior vigilance officials, followed a case registered by the agency based on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into alleged irregularities involving 28 sand quarries. The Hindu separately reported on Friday that the DVAC has registered an FIR in the multi-crore sand-mining case in Tamil Nadu.

Source: Dinamalar via UrbanAcres

Among the premises searched were the residence of sand quarry operator Ratinam in Dindigul and the residence of quarry operator Ramachandran in the Muthupattinam area of Pudukkottai district. Officials also searched the residence of quarry operator Karikalan in Karambakkudi and conducted a search in the Aambal area under a Mayiladuthurai anti-corruption police deputy superintendent, the report said.

Allegation: extraction up to 30 times the permitted limit

The central allegation is that river sand was extracted in quantities up to 30 times higher than the permitted limits. Dinamalar reported that the ED had registered a case over the alleged irregularities and sent a letter to the Director General of Police in June 2024, referring to an alleged scam worth Rs 4,730 crore involving 28 sand quarries. These figures are allegations cited from the ED's findings and have not been established in court.

30locations searched by DVAC
28sand quarries in ED probe
Rs 4,730 crorealleged scam value cited
30xalleged extraction over permitted limit

Civil society organisation Arappor Iyakkam, in a statement on the registration of the case, alleged, citing the ED's findings, that 23 lakh units of river sand had been illegally extracted from 28 locations, and said it had submitted complaints and additional evidence to the vigilance department. It alleged that public officials, quarry operators and individuals close to them were involved. The report did not provide details of evidence seized in Friday's searches, and the allegations remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings; the searches are an investigative step and do not by themselves establish criminal liability.