Merc, ₹26.4 lakh seized during ED raids on 2 mining firms in Haryana

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized a Mercedes car with acquisition value of approximately ₹1.25 crore, cash to the tune of ₹26.45 lakh, and several digital evidences, including hard disks & mobiles, during searches carried out at various places in Delhi, Karnal, Hisar, Bhiwani and Yamunanagar.

The searches were carried out following allegations of illegal mining and money laundering by M/s. Govardhan Mines & Sunder Marketing for creating ‘personal assets’.

As per the ED, its sleuths had, last week, conducted searches at multiple properties of the said firms and its partners spread over Delhi, Hisar, Bhiwani, Karnal and Yamunanagar.

The investigative agency found many incriminating documents which revealed that these firms indulged in several mining violations by bypassing environmental clearances and raised hundreds of crores.

The probe agency had launched money laundering investigation under the PMLA Act 2002, based on a chargesheet filed by the regional officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Bhiwani, before a special environment court, Kurukshetra. As per the ED statement, the companies in question, M/s. Sunder Mining and Associates and M/s. Govardhan Mines & Minerals, were recently made to pay a penalty of ₹65 crore by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for illegal & unscientific mining activities.

“The documents reveal the dubious modus operandi of the M/s. Sunder Marketing and Associate & others the company in bagging mining contracts. Freezing orders in respect of bank lockers and bank accounts of the Group were issued during the search operations under provisions of the PMLA,” the statement read.